Author: Michael Stoltz

Posts by Michael Stoltz

Rebooting Mars: Preparing Flashline Station on Devon Island for the Next Frontier

We just wrapped up an unforgettable week at the Mars Society’s Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in Nunavut Territory, 900 miles from the North Pole—one of the most Mars-like places on Earth. As part of the 2025 Advance One Crew, our mission was to bring the station back online after a long Arctic winter and get it ready for the arrival of Crews 17 and 18, which will be conducting analog simulations at Flashline later this summer…. READ MORE >

Voices from the Void: How Space Communicators Are Inspiring a New Generation

Curious about who’s making space exciting, accessible, and just plain cool for the rest of us? Join us on Tuesday, July 15 at 4:00 PM PT [1-hour earlier than usual] for a special live episode of Red Planet Live, where we’ll be diving into the world of space communication with some of the most dynamic voices in the field. Hosted by Ashton Zeth, this one-hour livestream will feature a stellar panel including Camille “The Galactic Gal” Bergin, Susan Martinez, and… READ MORE >

Training for Mars: Crew 315 Talks Analog Exploration on Red Planet Live

Analog research is a vital part of preparing for the human exploration of Mars—and now you can hear directly from the front lines! Join us for a special episode of Red Planet Live on Tuesday, July 1st at 5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET, featuring four members of Crew 315 from the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in southern Utah. Hosted by Ashton Zeth, this one-hour live podcast will welcome: Crew 315 recently completed a two-week analog mission at… READ MORE >

[Blog] Transportation on Mars: Innovative Possibilities for Planetary Exploration

By Lou Farrell, Senior Blog Writer Transportation to Mars requires more than a spaceship. Science fiction writers, astrophysicists and engineers have speculated for decades about what technologies could be viable for traveling to and surveying other planetary surfaces. Exploratory vehicles have already paved the way, demonstrating what specifications, materials and expenses are needed. What were some pioneering machines, and what could the future hold for planetary exploration? Existing Mars Exploration Devices Any predictions about future transportation tech will be born… READ MORE >

NASA’s Hoppy Price to Speak on Next-Gen Mars Robotic Missions at Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is honored to announce that Dr. Hoppy Price, Chief Engineer for NASA’s Robotic Mars Exploration Program, will deliver an in-person presentation at the 2025 International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 9-11, at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. With decades of experience across NASA’s most ambitious planetary missions, Dr. Price brings unparalleled insight into the engineering challenges and possibilities of exploring Mars. The theme of his talk will be “Concepts for Future Robotic Mars… READ MORE >

Charting Mars’ Future: MEPAG Chair Victoria Hamilton to Speak at Mars Society Convention

We are delighted to announce that Dr. Victoria E. Hamilton, Chairperson of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG), will be a featured plenary speaker at the 2025 International Mars Society Convention, to be held this October at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. A distinguished planetary geologist with the Southwest Research Institute, Dr. Hamilton’s expertise spans the mineralogy of planetary surfaces, meteorites, and returned samples—specializing in infrared spectroscopy of Mars, Earth, and even Venus. After earning her degree in… READ MORE >

Mars Society Announces Winner of 2025 Poster Contest

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Tasia Cobbs, a graphic artist and entrepreneur from Twin Falls, Idaho, has been selected as the winner of the 2025 Mars Society Poster Contest. Known professionally as “TASIA,” Tasia is a registered Choctaw artist with a strong passion for technology, space, and the effort to make humanity a multi-planetary species. Her dynamic and visionary poster design will be used as a key promotional graphic for the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention,… READ MORE >

Growing the Future on Mars: Synthetic Biology at the 2025 Mars Society Convention

Dr. Tiffany Vora—scientist, entrepreneur, and VP of Innovation Partnerships at Explore Mars—will deliver a plenary talk at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9–11, 2025, at the University of Southern California. Her talk, “Harnessing Synthetic Biology on Mars,” will explore how cutting-edge advances in biology, engineering, and manufacturing can support long-term human exploration and settlement of the Red Planet. Drawing on the work of the Explore Mars Synthetic Biology Working Group, Dr. Vora will outline how… READ MORE >

Mars in Motion: JPL’s Katie Stack Morgan Joins Red Planet Live

We’re very pleased to announce that Dr. Katie Stack Morgan—Acting Project Scientist for NASA’s Perseverance rover at JPL—will join us on the Mars Society’s Red Planet Live podcast on Tuesday, June 17 at 5:00 PM PT, hosted by Ashton Zeth. As the lead scientist on the Perseverance mission, Dr. Stack Morgan has played a critical role in exploring the ancient river delta in Jezero Crater—where the rover continues its search for signs of past microbial life. In this episode, hosted by… READ MORE >

Evolving Life Beyond Earth: Opportunities for a Green Mars at Mars Society Convention

Dr. Erika DeBenedictis, CEO of Pioneer Labs and a Resident at the Astera Institute, will be giving a plenary talk at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9–11, 2025, at the University of Southern California (USC). Her talk, titled “Opportunities for a Green Human Civilization on Mars,” will explore how principles of evolution and biological engineering can be applied to building sustainable life beyond Earth. Dr. DeBenedictis is also the lead author of a new research… READ MORE >

AI for Mars & Earth: Dex Hunter-Torricke Joins 2025 Mars Society Convention

We’re excited to announce that Dex Hunter-Torricke will be a featured plenary speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9-11, 2025, at USC in Los Angeles. A veteran strategist and communicator at the highest levels of tech and global leadership, Dex has spent the past two decades shaping the public messaging of major figures and companies at the forefront of innovation. He previously served as Head of Communications at SpaceX, where he worked directly with… READ MORE >

JPL Chief Engineer Rob Manning to Headline Friday Banquet at Mars Society Convention

Rob Manning, one of NASA JPL’s most accomplished and respected engineers, will deliver the Friday evening keynote at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9-11, 2025, at USC in Los Angeles. His address is scheduled for the evening of Friday, October 10th. With a career spanning more than three decades at JPL, Rob has helped shape nearly every phase of modern Mars exploration. He served as Chief Engineer for Mars Pathfinder, where he led the Entry,… READ MORE >

Reimagining Spaceflight: BlackStar Orbital CEO CJ Jannette on RPL Podcast

Get ready for a high-velocity conversation on the next episode of Red Planet Live (RPL)! Christopher “CJ” Jannette, Co-Founder & CEO of BlackStar Orbital, will join host Ashton Zeth on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 5:00pm PT / 8:00pm ET. A systems engineer, entrepreneur, and technologist, CJ has been instrumental in advancing modular, reusable satellite platforms. His impressive background includes work with SpaceX, NASA KSC, Ripple Aerospace, and the U.S. Air Force, where he contributed to Starship’s thermal protection systems… READ MORE >

JPL’s Dr. Abigail Fraeman Returns to Share New Curiosity Insights at 2025 Mars Society Convention

We’re excited to welcome back Dr. Abigail Fraeman as a plenary speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9–11 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Dr. Fraeman is a Research Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and currently serves as the Deputy Project Scientist for the Mars Science Laboratory mission, home to the Curiosity rover. In her plenary talk, she will provide a compelling update on Curiosity’s latest discoveries as it continues… READ MORE >

How Close Is The U.S. To Sending Humans To Mars? [CNBC Report]

An in-depth CNBC video report takes a close look at the technical, psychological, and logistical challenges of sending humans to Mars. The segment includes a visit to the Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, showcasing life inside a Mars analog simulation. It features interviews with Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin, members of MDRS Crew 315, and other leading space experts discussing what it will take to get astronauts to the Red Planet—and keep them alive. Ever… READ MORE >

Deadline Extensions Announced!

The Mars Society has extended the application deadlines for two major 2025 programs: Mars Society Poster Contest (for the 2025 Convention): Submit your original artwork around the theme “Mars: The Time Has Come!” for a chance to have your design featured as the official poster for the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, happening October 9–11, 2025, at USC in Los Angeles. The winning poster will be used in promotional materials and showcased at the event. Designs should be 11″… READ MORE >

Mars Society Launches Publishing Partnership with Purdue & JHPEE

The Mars Society (TMS) is proud to announce an exciting partnership with Purdue University and the Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments (JHPEE).  We will be publishing special sections within JHPEE dedicated to space analog research conducted at sites such as our Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) and Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (Flashline).  Our Analog Research Program Director, Ben Stanley, will serve as guest editor of these special sections. We are excited to engage with the incredible researchers who have contributed… READ MORE >

Advancing Space Nuclear Strategy: A Plenary by Dr. Bhavya Lal during the 2025 Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is honored to welcome Dr. Bhavya Lal, Professor at the RAND School of Public Policy and former NASA Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, as a plenary speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9-11, 2025, at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. Dr. Lal, a renowned expert in space policy, strategy, and nuclear systems, will address the convention on Strategic Options for U.S. Space Nuclear Leadership. Drawing… READ MORE >

Exciting Summer Missions to Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station Announced!

The Mars Society is thrilled to announce a series of upcoming missions this summer to the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in the Nunavut Territory approximately 900 miles from the North Pole, advancing our mission of Mars analog research and exploration training. Three official crews will be deployed: In addition, a European science team, including Blue Origin astronaut Sarah Sabry and potentially two ESA astronauts, will conduct an independent mission from mid-August through early September under the… READ MORE >

Trump Assaults American Space Science [Op-Ed R.Zubrin]

By Dr. Robert Zubrin, SpaceNews.com, 05.09.25 On May 2, the Trump administration announced its intention to impose massive cuts on the Science directorate of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), reducing its budget from $7.3 billion in 2025 to $3.8 billion in FY2026. These cuts will almost certainly entail the abandonment of the Curiosity rover, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Voyager and New Horizon interstellar probes, among others, and derail almost all plans for future American planetary exploration and astronomy missions…. READ MORE >

Red Planet Live: Launching Change – Women in STEM & Space Panel

Join us on Tuesday, May 20 at 5:00 PM PT for a special edition of Red Planet Live, hosted by Ashton Zeth. This important conversation will explore the real-world challenges and opportunities women face in STEM and space careers—sparked in part by the recent all-female Blue Origin suborbital flight and broader discussions around representation and impact in the space and technology industry. Meet Our Panelists: Janet Ivey – Creator of Janet’s Planet and a longtime science communicator, Janet is a… READ MORE >

Mars Society Welcomes Lou Farrell as New Official Blogger for ‘Red Planet Bound’

The Mars Society is excited to announce that Lou Farrell, Senior Editor at Revolutionized and long-time writer covering space, technology, and robotics, has joined our communications team as the official blogger for Red Planet Bound, our flagship blog dedicated to all things Mars, space, and technology. Lou brings a deep passion for space exploration, rooted in childhood dreams of one day living on the Red Planet. With years of experience writing about cutting-edge science and his unmatched enthusiasm for storytelling,… READ MORE >

AI SpaceFactory CEO David Malott to Deliver Plenary at 2025 Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is excited to announce that David Malott, co-founder and CEO of AI SpaceFactory, will be a plenary speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 9–11, 2025, at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. In his address, Mr. Malott will discuss how 3D printing is revolutionizing space exploration and Mars settlement. He’ll spotlight AI SpaceFactory’s cutting-edge work on using local materials—such as Martian regolith—to build sustainable, off-world habitats. A NASA award-winning… READ MORE >

Final Mission Summary – MDRS Crew 315

By David Laude, Crew Commander (April 20 – May 3, 2025) Being a Mars Society crew, we had nearly no previous knowledge of one another, making for an unknown compatibility outcome. As the Zoom meetings progressed it became apparent that this crew could work together in harmony and become friends along the way. Over the course of months, the crew was informed, guided, and educated by the experienced Commander. In the end, with the crew’s diligent work, everything paid off… READ MORE >

Science Cuts Threaten Our Path to Mars [J.Burk Statement]

A robust science program is not a luxury—it is the bedrock of our ability to explore and ultimately settle other worlds, including the planet Mars. Every step toward a sustained human presence on the Red Planet relies on the knowledge gained through Earth and planetary science, helio-physics, astrophysics, and robotic exploration. These missions tell us where and how humans can survive on Mars, how to protect them from solar radiation, how to find water, and how to understand Mars’ past… READ MORE >