Leading space policy expert Dr. Namrata Goswami will serve as a plenary speaker at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. During the convention, Dr. Goswami will deliver a featured presentation titled Mars and the Return of Geopolitics: Strategic Culture and the First Civilization Beyond Earth. Currently serving as Professor of Space Security with the United States Space Force (USSF) Schriever and West Space Scholars Program at… READ MORE >
News & Announcements
May 13th, 2026
NASA Chief Mars Engineer Hoppy Price to Speak at 2026 Mars Society Convention
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that veteran NASA engineer Humphrey “Hoppy” Price will serve as a plenary speaker at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. A leading figure at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mr. Price currently serves as Chief Engineer for NASA’s Robotic Mars Exploration Program, where he has played a central role in advancing mission architectures and technologies aimed at expanding humanity’s reach deeper… READ MORE >
May 10th, 2026
Robert Zubrin on Why Humanity Must Go to Mars
Appearing on Tim Ventura Interviews, a popular YouTube science and technology program, Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin discusses the future of human Mars exploration, the search for past or present life on the Red Planet, and why establishing a permanent human presence on Mars is essential for the long-term future of civilization. The wide-ranging conversation also explores current NASA strategy, mission architecture concepts, advanced propulsion ideas, and the growing international push toward becoming a multi-planetary species. To watch the… READ MORE >
April 26th, 2026
The Moon Is Just Practice: How Lunar Breakthroughs Will Transform Mars [RPB Blog]
By Lou Farrell, Senior Writer, Red Planet Bound There has been a recently-renewed focus on lunar exploration as of late, best exemplified by the Artemis II mission, which began on April 1, 2026 and lasted nine days. The mission garnered worldwide interest and acclaim. On a surface level, one can understand the appeal of prioritizing lunar exploration, as the Moon provides a controlled environment near Earth for testing technologies and strategies under real space conditions. Thankfully, that same factor also… READ MORE >
April 18th, 2026
Seeking Experts: Join the Mars Society’s Safety & Risk Management Advisory Committee
The Mars Society is pleased to announce the formation of a new Advisory Committee on Safety & Risk Management, aimed at strengthening safe, ethical, and resilient operations across its global network of analog research stations. This committee will serve as an independent advisory body, providing expert guidance to the Mars Society leadership team, including Executive Director James Burk, and Director of Safety Russ Nelson. Its work will support ongoing efforts to enhance safety standards, improve operational practices, and align with… READ MORE >
April 16th, 2026
Create the Vision: 2026 Mars Society Poster Contest Open Now!
The Mars Society is excited to announce its annual poster design contest—and we’re calling on creative minds around the world to take part. If you have a passion for graphic design and a love for Mars and space exploration, this is your opportunity to help shape the visual identity of our biggest event of the year. The winning design will be featured as the official promotional poster for the 29th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 22–24, 2026… READ MORE >
April 15th, 2026
Harper’s Magazine Feature: Redshift – Rehearsing [at MDRS] for Humanity’s Future on Mars
By Elena Saavedra Buckley, Harper’s Magazine, 04.15.26 To become a Martian colonist, I first had to fill out a Google Form. It asked me about my aviation know-how, medical training, and experience “working in extreme environments.” I sheepishly wrote “N/A” each time, adding a note that highlighted my cooking and social skills. It turned out that this was okay: I was only going to Utah, after all, and the institution running the show was not a multibillion-dollar federal agency but… READ MORE >
April 12th, 2026
How a Visit to NASA Inspired a Novel [RPB Blog]
By Amie Kaufman, Red Planet Bound The first time I handed a manuscript to an astrophysicist for a fact check, she returned it with about twenty-five pages of typed notes, many of which were ALL CAPS. It turned out movies have a quite lot to answer for when it comes to the average person’s understanding of space. It was, to say the least, the beginning of a journey. I’d grown up loving Star Trek and reading Clarke and Asimov and… READ MORE >
