Author: Michael Stoltz

Posts by Michael Stoltz

Winners Announced: 2025 Int’l Mission to Mars Design Engineering Challenge

The Mars Society is proud to announce the results of the 2025 International Mission to Mars Design Engineering Competition for high school students. This year’s contest brought together outstanding teams of young innovators from around the world to design future human missions to the Red Planet. “We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of the students, mentors, and judges who dedicated their time, energy, and creativity to making this year’s competition such a success,” said Nicole Willett, Mars Society Education… READ MORE >

Shaping the Future of Space Policy – Dr. Bhavya Lal Joins Red Planet Live

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Bhavya Lal, professor of Space Policy at the RAND School of Public Policy and former NASA Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, will be the featured guest on our next Red Planet Live podcast. The program will take place on Tuesday, September 2nd at 5:00 pm PT and will be hosted by Ashton Zeth. Dr. Lal has had a remarkable career in space leadership and policy, having served as the… READ MORE >

From Runways to Rockets: Matt Gjertsen’s Lessons in Leadership & Innovation

We’re thrilled to announce that Matt Gjertsen—graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, former Air Force Instructor Pilot with over 2,500 flight hours, and past head of training & development at SpaceX—will join our next Red Planet Live podcast on Tuesday, August 19th at 5pm PT! Now founder of Better Every Day Studios and a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserves supporting Space Systems Command, Matt brings 20 years of experience leading high-performing teams worldwide. He’s worked with organizations… READ MORE >

Mars Society Concludes Successful 2025 Arctic Analog Mission on Devon Island

The Mars Society has announced the successful completion of its 2025 Arctic analog mission at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station, located on Devon Island in Nunavut Territory. Titled “From Pole to Pole and Back Again,“ the five-week expedition, conducted throughout July and early August, demonstrated the resilience, adaptability, and scientific capacity of human teams operating in one of Earth’s most Mars-like environments. The mission was designed as a Mars analog—simulating the conditions of future human exploration on the Red… READ MORE >

Red Planet Live Podcast Returns on Aug. 12th with Legendary Space Journalist Leonard David!

Leonard David brings over 50 years of experience covering space—from the earliest robotic planetary probes to the emerging private space economy. Best known as Space.com’s Space Insider Columnist, he has reported for SpaceNews, Scientific American, Aerospace America, and more. He’s the author of key works like Mars: Our Future on the Red Planet (2016), Moon Rush: The New Space Race (2019), and Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration (co‑authored with Apollo 11’s Buzz Aldrin). Leonard is also the… READ MORE >

Mars Society joins Protoplanet towards establishment of Mars analogue training environment in Ladakh

A significant international collaboration is underway in the high-altitude terrain of Ladakh, India, aimed at establishing a sophisticated Mars analogue research and training environment. This initiative sees the Mars Society and its active chapter, Mars Society Australia, formally joining efforts, with Protoplanet serving as the organization facilitating and coordinating the project alongside other national and international partners. The project will leverage years of expertise gained from helping develop and operate facilities like the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah… READ MORE >

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 >