What an incredible three days of science, innovation, inspiration, and enthusiasm for the future of Mars exploration!
The Mars Society extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, held October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, such a memorable event.
With nearly two hundred people participating over the three days, along with viewers joining virtually from around the world, the convention brought together an enthusiastic community of scientists, engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, students, and space advocates united by a shared passion for exploring and settling the Red Planet.
We are especially grateful to our outstanding lineup of speakers, panelists, researchers, and space industry leaders who shared their knowledge, discoveries, and bold visions for humanity’s future on Mars.
Friday evening’s networking reception in the Grand Ballroom brought together attendees from around the world, offering opportunities to exchange ideas, build connections, and engage with space professionals. Students also had the chance to explore career paths, research opportunities, and future involvement in space exploration.
A special thank you goes to Dr. Adam Steltzner of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, whose keynote address at our Saturday evening banquet was a wonderful highlight of the convention. His extraordinary contributions to Mars exploration and his passion for engineering continue to inspire the next generation of space explorers.
To our incredible volunteers: Thank you! Your dedication, hard work, and countless hours behind the scenes were essential to making this gathering possible. From registration and logistics to technical support and event coordination, you helped keep everything running smoothly.
We also extend our sincere appreciation to the University of Southern California, its faculty, administrators, and event staff for their hospitality, professionalism, and invaluable support in hosting this year’s convention.
As Mars Society Executive Director James Burk reflected on the gathering:
“Our 2026 convention at USC brought 180 people together in person and 5,000 more online, and the energy in the room showed how strong the case for Mars remains. Thank you to every speaker, volunteer and attendee who made it happen. Next year marks our 30th convention, and we’re already looking forward to it.”
Couldn’t attend? Or want to revisit your favorite presentations? All convention talks and panel discussions will be made available for viewing on The Mars Society’s YouTube channel in the days and weeks ahead. Stay tuned as we share these fascinating sessions with our worldwide audience.
Finally, to everyone who attended in person or joined us online from around the world, thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support.
Together, we’re helping turn the dream of humans on Mars into reality.
Onward to Mars!
The Mars Society
