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Crews for 2016-17 MDRS Field Season Announced

The Mars Society would like to congratulate all of the teams which have been selected as crew members for the upcoming 2016-17 field season at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah. We look forward to another successful period of Mars surface simulation work and research, benefiting future pioneers of the Red Planet. Crew 171 – Dec. 17, 2016 – Jan. 1, 2017 — SEDS Crew 172 – Dec. 31, 2016 – Jan. 15, 2017 — Mars Society Crew… READ MORE >

New GreenHab Added to MDRS Station

Work on the Mars Society’s new GreenHab at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah is almost finished! The new greenhouse is a wonderful addition to the MDRS facility and will serve crew members in their important research for years to come. The earlier dome-shaped greenhouse that was constructed last year was unfortunately deemed unsuitable for some aspects of greenhouse use and will therefore be retrofitted into a state-of-the-art science lab, expanding the organization’s ability to carry out Mars-related… READ MORE >

HBO Pays a Visit to MDRS

HBO Vice, the network’s award-winning news program, will broadcast a 15-minute report about current planning for a human mission to Mars on Friday, July 1st at 11:00 pm EDT (8:00 pm PDT). The segment will include a visit to the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, which took place last December during the field rotation of Crew 158. The program can be viewed on television, but can also be seen online via HBO GO immediately after the show is… READ MORE >

Congresswoman Donna Edwards to Address 2016 Mars Society Convention

Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD), the ranking member of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Space, will address the 19th Annual International Mars Society Convention on Friday, September 23rd, 2016 at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. A strong advocate of Mars exploration and a human mission to the Red Planet, Rep. Edwards will discuss the future of  the U.S. space program and the need for Congress to increase NASA’s budget, including funding for a humans-to-Mars program. Rep. Edwards currently… READ MORE >

Building the Future on Mars – Volunteer at MDRS

Opportunities to Participate as Part of the Mars Desert Research Station Mission Support Team As the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) begins its 16th year of analog studies in southern Utah, we look back with pride on the people who have supported the station in the past, those who have been and are now working on their dreams through their professional position in the space sector. There are plenty of opportunities to participate at MDRS other than as… READ MORE >

Mars Society Launches Major Update of Online MarsPapers Archive

After months of extensive work, design and updates by a dedicated group of volunteers, the Mars Society has officially launched a major update of MarsPapers, an extensive online archive of over 500 Mars-related papers, presentations and documents, all available in PDF format for viewing or downloading. While many of the documents in MarsPapers have been presented at past Mars Society international conventions, members of the public are encouraged to submit any Mars-oriented document for inclusion in the archive, where it will… READ MORE >

Father of Robert Zubrin Passes Away

The Mars Society is sorry to announce that Charles Zubrin, father of Dr. Robert Zubrin, passed away late last week at the age of 100. A descendant of Russian Jewish immigrants, Mr. Zubrin was an army veteran of World War II, a successful businessman and world traveler. He will be truly missed by family and friends.  … READ MORE >

Mars Society President Tours Russia

Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin recently concluded a whirlwind tour of Russia, giving a series of seven talks in Moscow and St. Petersburg and conducting meetings with Russian space leaders and numerous interviews with Russian press along the way. Dr. Zubrin arrived in Moscow on May 26th, and after attending a gathering that evening went on to give interviews with Komsomolnaya Pravda Radio, Izvestia and Life TV the following day. On May 28th he spoke at the TEDx Moscow… READ MORE >

NASA Mars Czar Jim Watzin to Speak at 2016 Mars Society Convention

Jim Watzin, Director of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, will address the 19th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 22-25, 2016 on the campus of Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Appointed “Mars Czar” in December 2014, Mr. Watzin oversees NASA’s Mars portfolio and budget, helps shape the robotic exploration of the Red Planet, including current planning for the Mars 2020 rover mission, and develops strategies for future Mars research and programs. Prior to this role, Mr. Watzin served as… READ MORE >

Volunteer for 2016 Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is convening its 19th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 22-25, 2016 at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Every year, members and non-members who volunteer to help at the international convention (a minimum of ten hours required) receive free entry to the four-day conference. Please let us know if you’re interested in serving this year as a volunteer. Contact Nicole (nicolew@marssociety.org) for full details. Thanks!  … READ MORE >

URC2016 Crowns Back-to-Back Champions

The 2016 University Rover Challenge concluded on Saturday (June 4th) at the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in southern Utah as 28 rovers and more than 300 college students took on the harsh Mars-like terrain of this unique venue.  Following two rounds of competition and five different events over a three-day period, the Legendary Rover Team from Rzeszow University of Technology in Poland defended their title from 2015 with another amazing victory. The podium was rounded out by… READ MORE >

First Day of Excitement Kicks Off 2016 University Rover Challenge

The tenth annual rendition of the Mars Society’s University Rover Challenge (URC) featured an exciting Semi-Finals round of competition on Thursday, June 2nd at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in southern Utah. The international robotics competition for college students, which is part of the Rover Challenge Series, features an elite field of teams vying to build the world’s best student-designed Mars rover. The Semi-Finals round of competition is a new feature for URC. Teams were required to compete in… READ MORE >