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By Bob Bruner (guest writer) Red Planet Pen, Issue #36 Bob Bruner has attended and presented at the scientific conferences described below since 2015.  His contribution is entitled “Special Exhibit on Meteorites and Minerals associated with the Origin of Life on Earth or Mars” and can be found on the web. He is a long-time member of the Mars Society and is a volunteer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Four popular origin of life theories that have influenced the hunt… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Mike Elsperman, Director of Boeing’s Space Science & Advanced Space Utilization division, will give a plenary address about the company’s role in Mars mission planning at the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10 at the University of California Irvine. In addition to being involved in the development of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), Boeing announced concept plans in April for the Deep Space Gateway, a habitat in cislunar orbit… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Tom Mueller, Propulsion Chief Technology Officer for SpaceX, will speak about his company’s ongoing development and plans for travel to the Red Planet at the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10 at the University of California Irvine. A founding employee of SpaceX, Mr. Mueller focuses on new technology developments for propulsion, including Mars main propulsion and surface power. Prior to becoming SpaceX CTO  in 2014, he served as… READ MORE >

Radiation Hucksters Strike Again By Dr. Robert Zubrin, Mars Society President, 06.08.17 According to a publicity campaign launched on behalf of a paper authored by University of Nevada Las Vegas Professor Frank Cucinotta, new findings show “collateral damage from cosmic rays increases cancer risks for Mars astronauts.” However an examination of the paper itself shows no discussion of experimental methods or results, because no experiments were done and no data was taken. Rather the much-ballyhooed paper is a discussion of… READ MORE >

After three days of intense competition under the hot desert sun, the Mars Rover Design Team (MRDT) from the Missouri University of Science and Technology became the first team from the United States to win the University Rover Challenge (URC) since 2010. 35 rovers and more than 500 students from seven countries descended upon the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in southern Utah for this annual competition which asks college students to design and build the world’s best Mars rover…. READ MORE >

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Pappalardo, a Project Scientist in JPL’s Planetary Science Division, will provide an update about NASA’s Europa Clipper mission during the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10, 2017 at the University of California Irvine. Due for launch in the 2020’s, the Europa Clipper mission will place a spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter in order to perform a detailed investigation of the giant planet’s moon Europa – a… READ MORE >

“Monsieur, your song is worth an extra thousand men in battle!” once said a French general of Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle’s ‘La Marseilles’. For those of us pushing for a human future in space, an inspiring tune could motivate millions and convince governments that we need to get to Mars, and we need to get there now! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a tune! “Rise to Mars!”, an inspirational melody composed by Mumbai-born opera singer Oscar Dom Victor Castellino,… READ MORE >

By Joel Achenbacher, Washington Post, 05.17.17 Robert Zubrin started the Mars Society nearly two decades ago with the dream of creating a human settlement on the Red Planet. “The time has come for humanity to journey to Mars!” he announced one night in the summer of 1998, at the group’s founding convention in Boulder, Colo. He then read the society’s Founding Declaration: “We must go, not for us, but for the people who are yet to be. We must do… READ MORE >

The Mars Society and Team Mars are jointly producing a special limited series of t-shirts and rover decals to mark the annual University Rover Challenge (URC), the leading world-wide competition for college students to design, build and field the next generation of Mars rovers. Join the growing number of space enthusiasts dedicated to the robotic and human exploration of the Red Planet by ordering a URC t-shirt or decal at the special web site maintained by the Mars Society and… READ MORE >

By Robert Zubrin National Review, 05.15.17 At the recent Space Foundation conference held in Colorado Springs, NASA revealed its new plan for human space exploration, superseding the absurd Asteroid Retrieval Mission (ARM) championed by the Obama administration. Amazingly, the space agency has managed to come up with an even dumber idea. In the early months of the Trump administration, some lunar advocates spread the rumor that the new president would seek a return to the Moon within his first four years,… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that former NASA Deputy Administrator Dr. Dava Newman will speak about current planning for human space exploration at the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10, 2017 at the University of California Irvine. Dr. Newman served as deputy to Administrator Charles Bolden from 2015-17, helping provide leadership, planning and policy direction for NASA, while also representing the agency to the Executive Office of the President, Congress, heads of federal and… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic and The Spaceship Company, will give a plenary talk at the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10 at the University of California Irvine. In these two senior roles, Mr. Whitesides is responsible for guiding all aspects of building the world’s first commercial spaceline and overseeing the manufacturing of the WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo space vehicles. Before joining Virgin Galactic, Mr. Whitesides served as… READ MORE >

A committee of Mars Society staff members took a close look at nearly two dozen creative designs submitted to the 2017 Mars Society Poster Contest. After a longer than expected review period, the winner of the annual competition was selected – Violaine Bourgeais (France). Graphic artists were asked to submit a poster using the theme “Mars: From Imagination to Reality” for the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, set to take place September 7-10 at the University of California Irvine…. READ MORE >

Dr. John Grotzinger, former NASA Project Scientist for the Curiosity/Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover mission, will give a plenary talk at the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10, 2017 at the University of California Irvine. The planned address will involve a full review of the results of the ongoing Curiosity rover mission on the Red Planet. In addition to Dr. Grotzinger’s work with MSL over a period of nine years, he was also involved as a… READ MORE >

Anousheh Ansari to Give Keynote Address at 2017 Mars Society Convention Banquet The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American engineer, businesswoman and the first female private space explorer, will serve as the keynote speaker at the Saturday evening banquet of the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention on September 9th at the University of California Irvine. Making history more than a decade ago and fulfilling a life-long dream, Mrs. Ansari became the first self-funded female… READ MORE >

MDRS Crew 177 – Final Mission Report The following is the final summary report of Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) Crew 177 (Lone Star Highlanders). A full review of this year’s activities at MDRS will be presented at the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10, 2017 at the University of California Irvine. A call for abstracts for the convention was issued recently, with a June 30th deadline. Crew 177, Lone Star Highlanders, a team representing McLennan… READ MORE >

Great news! Our official Mars Society Facebook page reached a new milestone today – the 50,000 “Likes” mark! Much thanks to everyone who visits (and has visited) our page to learn more about the organization and its ongoing efforts to support a human mission to the Red Planet! Keep letting folks know about the Mars Society and its Facebook presence. Thanks again!… READ MORE >

Support the Mars Society, a registered 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, with a recurring monthly contribution. Play a direct role in helping the world’s largest Mars advocacy group to educate the public, the media and the government on the benefits of exploring Mars and creating a permanent human presence on the Red Planet, and also carry out important and timely research at our Mars surface simulation facilities in Utah and Canada. Help out with whatever amount you can – $10, $25 or… READ MORE >

Making America’s Space Program Great Again By Robert Zubrin, SpaceNews, 03.27.17 Rumors are circulating that the Trump team is considering a return to the Moon as the basis for its space policy. If done properly, this could be a very good thing. NASA needs a clear near-term goal, but that goal should be humans to Mars. Mars is where the science is, it is where the challenge is, and it is where the future is. Because it once had oceans, rivers… READ MORE >

MDRS Crew 176 – Final Mission Report The following is the final summary report of Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) Crew 176, the Polish team “PolMars.” A full review of this year’s activities at MDRS will be presented at the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10, 2017 at University of California Irvine. MDRS Mission Summary Crew 176 (PolMars) was the first entirely Polish crew at MDRS. Our simulation took place between 11-26 March 2017. Except for one… READ MORE >

The most competitive Critical Design Review in University Rover Challenge (URC) history has concluded with 36 student teams from seven countries being selected to compete June 1-3 at the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in southern Utah. A record 82 teams from 13 countries began the year trying to design and build the world’s best astronaut-assisting Mars rover. With most teams presenting highly advanced systems, judges were left with an incredibly difficult decision and ultimately decided to expand… READ MORE >

The 2017 Mars Society Poster Contest kicks off today. Members, friends and space enthusiasts are all invited to submit a poster for consideration, with the winning design to be used as the main promotional graphic for the 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for September 7-10, at the University of California Irvine. Those intending to create a poster for the annual competition are asked to incorporate the main theme of this year’s 20th anniversary convention – “From Imagination to… READ MORE >

The Mars Society is sponsoring a Student Mars Art (SMArt) Contest, inviting youth from around the world to depict the human future on the planet Mars. Young artists from grades 4 through 12 (ages 8 to 18) are invited to submit up to three works of art each, illustrating any part of the human future on the Red Planet, including the first landing, human field exploration, operations at an early Mars base, the building of the first Martian cities, terraforming… READ MORE >

The Mars Society will be marking an important milestone this year with the convening of its 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention on the campus of the University of California Irvine, scheduled for September 7-10, 2017. The four-day international conference will bring together leading scientists, engineers, policymakers, government officials, aerospace industry representatives, policymakers and journalists to talk about the latest scientific discoveries, technological advances and political-economic developments that could help pave the way for the human exploration and settlement of… READ MORE >

MOJAVE, CA – Student-built rockets will streak into the stratosphere in Spring 2018 as college and university engineering teams from around the world compete for $100,000 in prizes in a contest sponsored jointly by the Mars Society, headquartered in Lakewood, CO and the California-based Friends of Amateur Rocketry (FAR). Announced last year, the FAR-MARS Prize will grant $50,000 to the team whose bi-propellant liquid-fueled rocket comes closest to reaching 45,000 feet (13,716 meters). A second $50,000 prize will go to the… READ MORE >