July 20, 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of NASA’s historic Viking 1 landing on Mars—a landmark achievement that forever changed the course of planetary exploration and humanity’s vision for the future. When Viking 1 successfully touched down on the Chryse Planitia region of Mars on July 20, 1976, it became the first spacecraft to achieve a successful landing on the Red Planet and conduct extended scientific operations from its surface. Over the years that followed, Viking 1 transmitted thousands of… READ MORE >
News & Announcements
July 19th, 2026
Red Planet Logistics: How to Power Mars Mining & Resource Extraction [Blog]
By Lou Farrell, Senior Writer, Red Planet Bound Eventually, humans will make their way to another planet, and harvesting Mars’ resources is an inevitable part of the colonization process. People can only sustain building and living operations on the Red Planet if there is a reliable flow of materials. It may require a logistics setup unlike anything on Earth, especially for the most complex industries. Fortunately, experts already have a few frameworks that could inspire success beyond the blue marble…. READ MORE >
July 17th, 2026
Crew 19 Underway at Flashline, Advancing Research for Future Moon & Mars Missions
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Crew 19 has officially arrived at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in Nunavut Territory approximately 900 miles from the North Pole, and is now beginning its highly anticipated analog mission. Advance Team members Rhett Woods, Raleigh Swick, Dr. Laura Thomas, and Terry Trevino traveled to the station together to prepare for the expedition. On July 13th, Rhett, Raleigh, and Terry completed a successful “crew hot-swap” and returned home,… READ MORE >
July 16th, 2026
Did Life Begin on Mars? – Book Review by Dr. Robert Zubrin
Could life have begun on Mars? In this thought-provoking review, Dr. Robert Zubrin examines Dr. Steven Benner’s new book and its exploration of one of planetary science’s biggest questions. Meet Dr. Benner in person at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, where he’ll deliver a plenary address, sign copies of his books, and join a special panel discussion on this fascinating topic. By Dr. Robert Zubrin, National Review, 07.11.26 Steve Benner is one of the heavyweights of both theoretical and applied… READ MORE >
July 14th, 2026
Relativity Space Co-Founder Tim Ellis to Join 2026 Mars Society Convention
Technology entrepreneur and commercial spaceflight pioneer Tim Ellis, Co-Founder and Board Member of Relativity Space, will participate in a special fireside chat at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. As the founding CEO of Relativity Space, Ellis spent nearly a decade building the company into one of the world’s most innovative aerospace firms, growing it to more than 1,500 employees, raising over $2 billion in funding,… READ MORE >
July 12th, 2026
Property Rights & the Future of Mars: Dr. Rainer Zitelmann to Deliver Plenary Address at 2026 Convention
The Mars Society welcomes internationally acclaimed historian, sociologist, author and entrepreneur Dr. Rainer Zitelmann as a plenary speaker at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, to be held at the USC campus in Los Angeles October 22-24. Dr. Zitelmann will present “Private Property in Space: The Missing Ingredient,” exploring how private property rights and free-market incentives could play a key role in the long-term settlement of Mars. His presentation will examine why secure property rights may be as essential as… READ MORE >
July 10th, 2026
SETI Institute’s Dr. Nathalie Cabrol to Discuss the Search for Life Beyond Earth at 2026 Mars Society Convention
One of the world’s foremost astrobiologists and planetary scientists, Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, will join an outstanding lineup of speakers at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. Dr. Cabrol serves as Director of the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe at the SETI Institute, where she leads pioneering research in astrobiology and helps shape exploration strategies for Mars, Titan, and the icy… READ MORE >
July 10th, 2026
Ireland’s Guru Sharma Named Winner of the 2026 Mars Society Poster Contest
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Guru Sharma has been selected as the First Place winner of the 2026 Mars Society Poster Contest! A cybersecurity analyst by profession in Ireland, Guru has nurtured a lifelong passion for astronomy and space exploration. That enthusiasm shines through in his outstanding winning poster, which impressed our judges with its creativity, artistic quality, and compelling vision of humanity’s future on Mars. The annual Mars Society Poster Contest celebrates artists and designers who… READ MORE >
