Rules

1. Submit a quad chart and one page summary describing your proposed project. Each submission should include a rough cost estimate as well as the technical challenges that will be involved.  If possible, also provide a description of the type of skill sets that will need to be assembled to complete this project. *
2. MPC is open to all members in good standing of the Mars Society (lost your password? Get it here, or, register or renew here).
3. All proposals must be submitted on this web site, by midnight on May 25, 2008 EDT.
4. Although this project can be conducted in space, on Earth, in the atmosphere, etc., proposals should advance or promote needed technologies or procedures necessary for sending humans to Mars and/or to support habitation on Mars.  Submissions can be individual or team efforts.
5. Proposals must have the potential to attract substantial press and public attention.
6. All participants should be willing to send a representative to the Mars Society Convention taking place from August 14-17, 2008 in Boulder Colorado.  Ten (10) finalists will be invited to present their proposal at the Convention.  Finalists should be prepared to present a comprehensive version of their proposal at the Convention.
7. All participant should be aware that this is not a cash prize project.  The winning proposal may become The Mars Society's next major project.
8. Participants will have to agree to licensing their idea to the Mars Society by checking a box on the web submission form. Once finalists are chosen and invited to further develop their ideas, a more formal licensing agreement may be required.

*  We understand that not everybody submitting proposals will have technical and/or budgeting skills.  This does not matter.  If you feel that you have a great idea for a project, please do the best that you can to fill out the quad-chart and summary.  If you need help, please contact us at  mpc@marssociety.org.

Additional Submission Guidelines

Projects that can be achieved for under $5 million and can engage participation of the membership will get preference in our selection process.

The provided Quad Chart and Executive Summary templates shall be used. The intent of the quad chart is to provide a common format that will facilitate the side by side evaluation of submissions.  The intent of the executive summary is to provide you with a more free-form format to describe your submission.

You can find an example of a complete idea submission (using our existing Mars Analog Stations project) at the top of the submissions folder. Once you submit one or more ideas, they will also be listed there. You will initially only see the example and your own submission(s) there. All submissions will be published after the submission deadline.