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Mars Civilization and Culture Task Force
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The main current Mars Society news are listed below. We also have these other news listings:
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Mars Society News
Up one levelThe Republican and Democratic parties have created systems where you can express an opinion on what should appear on their national platforms. This is a terrific opportunity for the space community to remind both campaigns that destination-driven human space flight is not only vital to the interests of the United States, but that there are a LOT of constituents who support such programs.
The Mars Society is proud to announce the selection of ten finalists in our Mars Project Challenge. The goal of the MPC was to collect ideas from our members for the next Mars Society project; a project that will provide a REAL contribution to future human missions to Mars.
The Mars Society is pleased to release a preliminary schedule for this year's convention to be held on the campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder, August 14-17, 2008. This year's four-day event includes a diverse panel of speakers who will cover a range of subjects including up-to-the minute reports from the Phoenix and Cassini-Huygens science teams, as well as two special tracks that invite debate and discussion on the topics "Science and Religion" with noted scholars Brother Guy Consolmagno and Ted Peters, and "U.S. Space Policy" with representatives from the campaigns of Senators Barack Obama and John McCain.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Simpson, President of the International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France, will be one of several keynote speakers during the Plenary Sessions at the Mars Society Convention this August. The International Space University is a world leader in space education, and as such sets the standard for excellence with its international, interdisciplinary, and intercultural academic programs. ISU's alumni represent 95 countries, and rank among the world's most respected space science advocates and scientists. The ISU is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Carolyn Porco, a planetary scientist and the leader of the imaging science team on the Cassini-Huygens mission presently in orbit around Saturn, will be speaking at the Mars Society Convention this August. As Director of the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations (CICLOPS), Dr. Porco has presided over the greatest visual survey of a planetary system in the outer solar system. The haunting images and detailed maps created by the Cassini Imaging Team will guide future explorers, both human and robotic, as they travel among Saturn and its icy moons.
NASA announced recently that the Phoenix lander, launched on a mission to the northern polar region of the Red Planet in August 2007, had detected water ice during the first of many chemical analyses planned during the three month mission. In addition, initial mineralogy experiments have revealed a striking similarity between Martian soil and the soil found in the Antarctic region of Earth. The significance of these findings cannot be overstated. Liquid water and chemical energy are essential for life, and in the presence of these two, as Dr. Wesley Huntress once remarked: "Life may be a cosmic imperative."
The drive to Mars is on! The Mars Society and MarsDrive would like to announce a new era of collaboration between our two organizations as we aim for Mars. Recognizing that all groups and individuals have an important role to play in this most challenging of tasks, we will work together in strategic areas which help streamline efforts towards a human future on Mars. MarsDrive will be assisting in various selected Mars Society projects from time to time and doing its best to ensure a new spirit of co-operation exists and flourishes between Mars and space advocacy groups in general.
We are pleased to announce that Dr. S. Pete Worden (Brig. Gen., USAF, ret.) will be speaking at The Mars Society Convention that will be taking place from August 14-17, 2008 in Boulder, Colorado. Dr. Worden currently serves as the Director of the NASA Ames Research Center.
National Geographic Germany Covers FMARS; Scientific American Highlights University Rover Challenge
A pair of Mars Society projects received favorable press coverage recently.
The deadline for submitting abstracts for the 11th Annual International Mars Society Convention is fast approaching. An international audience of Mars experts and enthusiasts awaits your ideas, designs, research, and proposals dealing with all matters (science, engineering, politics, economics, public policy, etc.) associated with the exploration and settlement of Mars.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Artemis Westenberg has been named Director, International Relations of The Mars Society.
Prometheus Music has made the entire contents of "To Touch The Stars", the first ever anthology CD of music celebrating human space exploration, available as streaming CD-quality audio on its web site to celebrate the successful touchdown of the Phoenix Mars Lander.
May 25, 2008 was quite an amazing day. Not only did the Phoenix Mars Lander successfully descend to the Martian surface, it was also the final day that the Mars Society was accepting submissions for the Mars Project Challenge (MPC). The Mars Society received over 30 submissions for this program. These projects covered a wide range of concepts including ambitious education programs, technology demonstrations on Earth, and proposals that would send hardware into space.
We are pleased to announce Dr. Alan Stern will be speaking at the 11th Annual International Mars Society Convention, which will be taking place from August 14-17, 2008 in Boulder, Colorado. Dr. Stern recently served as Associate Administrator, NASA Science Mission Directorate, and is currently the principal investigator for the New Horizons mission to Pluto.
After two days of intense competition and hard work from all involved, Oregon State University captured first place in the 2008 University Rover Challenge tonight at the Mars Desert Research Station. They narrowly beat out the defending champions from the University of Nevada Reno. Following hot on their heels in third place was first-time entrant from the York University of Toronto, Canada.
With day one of the second annual University Rover Challenge complete, a number of surprises have emerged and teams are in close competition for the top prize.
In a townhall speech in Florida on Thursday, June 5 quoted extensively by the AFP, Republican presidential candidate John McCain said he would like to see a manned mission to Mars as part of a "better set of priorities" for NASA.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Vatican astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno will be speaking at the 11th Annual International Mars Society Convention in Boulder, Colorado. Consolmagno will participate in a program called "Religion and Space Exploration" which will discuss what impact (if any) space exploration will have on religion.
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- The Northern California Chapter of the Mars Society and NASA Ames Research Center have been awarded a grant by Google for the "Spaceward Bound Robotic Vehicle Project for Research and Education". The project will purchase and configure two robotic rovers for use in telepresence testing as part of Spaceward Bound. Spaceward Bound is an educational program organized at NASA Ames Research Center in partnership with The Mars Society, and funded by the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) at NASA Headquarters.
Phoenix Landing Produces Major Media Coverage For Mars Society
In the wake of the successful landing of the Phoenix Mars Lander less than 10 days ago, the Mars Society has received a spike in coverage by major media around the world.
Contained Smart Folders:
- Expired News — by Jean Lagarde — last modified 2007-06-05 00:50
- Expired news, newsletters, press releases (i.e. of mostly historical value).
Eleventh International Mars Society Convention
Help Get Humans To Mars On The Democratic and Republican National Platforms
