Author: Michael Stoltz

Posts by Michael Stoltz

[R.Zubrin Op-Ed] The Mars Dream Is Back — Here’s How to Make It Actually Happen

By Dr. Robert Zubrin, The New Atlantis, 01.31.25 Between SpaceX’s breakthroughs and Trump’s inaugural promise, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity. But it can’t be realized as an eccentric’s project or a pork banquet. Here’s a science-driven program that could get astronauts on the Red Planet by 2031. America now has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to open the space frontier by initiating a sustained program of human exploration of Mars. Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship launch system will soon be operational, offering payload… READ MORE >

Shelli Brunswick Joins RPL Podcast: Insights on Space Innovation & Leadership 

The Mars Society is excited to announce that Shelli Brunswick, a globally renowned leader and speaker connecting the space community with the wider public to foster collaboration and innovation, will be the next guest on the Red Planet Live (RPL) podcast, hosted by Ashton Zeth. Tune in on Tuesday, February 4th, at 5:00 PM PST. Ms. Brunswick’s distinguished career includes her service in the U.S. Air Force, where she led space acquisition and policy initiatives, and her role as COO of Space… READ MORE >

Space Robotics Leader Says Humans Will Soon Join Robots on Moon, Mars

Forbes, a renowned international magazine, covers a recent Red Planet Live podcast interview, hosted by Ashton Connaughton (Zeth), featuring Dr. Kris Zacny, VP of Honeybee Robotics, a Blue Origin Company, as he discusses plans for human and robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars. By Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 01.26.25 One of the globe’s top designers of space robots says a new “Golden Age of Space Exploration” – spearheaded by the world’s twin Titans of spaceflight – will speed up… READ MORE >

Mars Society Hails New Glenn’s Milestone Launch, “A Giant Leap Towards Opening the Space Frontier”

The Mars Society, the world’s largest space advocacy group dedicated to the human exploration and settlement of the Red Planet, hailed yesterday’s successful test flight of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. With its upper stage officially reaching orbit, this achievement marks a pivotal milestone for Blue Origin in its quest to advance space technology. Dr. Robert Zubrin, President of the Mars Society, praised the achievement, stating, “We welcome Blue Origin joining SpaceX with the successful launch… READ MORE >

Space Mining & Exploration: Next Topic on Red Planet Live with Honeybee Robotics’ Dr. Kris Zacny

We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Kris Zacny, Vice President & Director of Exploration Technology at Honeybee Robotics, as the next guest on Red Planet Live! Hosted by Ashton Zeth, this exciting episode will air on Tuesday, January 21st, at 5:00 PM PST / 8:00 PM EST. Dr. Zacny will share insights into Honeybee Robotics’ cutting-edge advancements in spacecraft, robotic rovers, and deep-space exploration technologies. He’ll also discuss space mining, In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), and planetary geotechnical engineering, answering questions from… READ MORE >

Be Part of It! MTI’s Mars Against Hunger Competition!

The Mars Technology Institute (MTI) announced late last year that it is launching a global competition to demonstrate radically more efficient methods of food production needed to support the human settlement of the Red Planet. MTI is calling its contest the Mars Against Hunger (MAH) Prize because the technologies it aims to develop could go a long way towards ending the age-old scourge of hunger on Earth. There is no technological challenge in providing food for a Mars exploration expedition. Human explorers can simply bring their… READ MORE >

Red Planet Live: Insights from Crew 16’s Arctic Mission with Tiffany Swarmer & Michael Andrews

We’re excited to announce the next episode of Red Planet Live, hosted by Ashton Zeth, will feature Tiffany Swarmer and Michael Andrews, participants in the Crew 16 analog mission at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island—the world’s largest uninhabited island, located 900 miles from the North Pole. Tune in on Tuesday, January 7th, at 5:00 PM PST for this 60-minute podcast!  As members of the seven-person Crew 16 in July 2024, Tiffany served as Health & Safety Officer… READ MORE >

Together, Let’s Make 2025 the Year of Mars Exploration!

As we approach the close of another remarkable year, we want to pause and celebrate the extraordinary progress the Mars Society community has made toward the human exploration and settlement of the Red Planet. In reflecting on 2024’s achievements, we’re filled with pride, gratitude, and a renewed sense of purpose—and we hope you share in this excitement. Building on a Year of BreakthroughsWith your help, we have accomplished a lot over the past twelve months. We’ve maintained at a high level… READ MORE >

Get Your Questions Ready for Space Author & Journalist Rod Pyle on Red Planet Live!

The Mars Society is excited to announce that prominent space author, journalist, and historian Rod Pyle will join the next episode of Red Planet Live, hosted by Ashton Zeth, on Tuesday, December 17th, at 5 PM PST. Author of 18 books on space history and exploration, including Space 2.0, First on the Moon, and Blueprint for a Battlestar, Mr. Pyle has made significant contributions to the world of space studies and development. As Editor-in-Chief of the National Space Society’s quarterly magazine, Ad Astra, he is… READ MORE >

Mars Society Publishes New Book, Students to Mars!: A Showcase of High School Innovation in Human Mars Mission Design

The Mars Society is proud to announce the publication of its new book Students to Mars! The Mars Society’s International Design Competition for High School Students 2022-2023. Around the world, in all the best university engineering programs, students encounter at some point a class different from all the others. This is the engineering design class, within which, instead of being tested as individuals on their mastery of lectures and texts, the class is challenged to work as a team to… READ MORE >

Celebrate Our Progress on Giving Tuesday & Support Mars Exploration

Dear Friend, As we approach the end of 2024, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible progress we’ve made together at the Mars Society and invite you to join us in celebrating Giving Tuesday (December 3), a day of global giving on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Thanks to your unwavering support, our mission to advance humanity’s journey to Mars continues to thrive. This year, we embarked on new adventures and solidified our place as pioneers… READ MORE >

Red Friday Extravaganza: Celebrate Mars with a Free Gift!

Shopping for your favorite Martian has never been easier! Explore a wide variety of Mars-themed gifts in the official Mars Society shop, The Mars Store. From unique keepsakes to out-of-this-world memorabilia, there’s something for every Mars enthusiast (including yourself!). While we’d love to offer every Red Friday (November 29th) shopper a 25% discount on all orders, as a non-profit organization, we dedicate every moment and every dollar to advancing the human exploration and settlement of Mars. Instead, we’re thrilled to… READ MORE >

Exploring for Life on Mars: A RPL Conversation with Dr. Steven Benner

Join us on Tuesday, December 3rd, at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 pm ET for a special episode of the Mars Society’s Red Planet Live podcast! Host Ashton Zeth will be joined by Dr. Steven Benner, a renowned biochemist and Distinguished Fellow at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution. Dr. Benner, a pioneer in synthetic biology and the creator of groundbreaking artificial genetic systems, will share insights on the possibility of a near-surface microbial biosphere on the Red Planet, as well as… READ MORE >

Mars Exploration Act Update

Mars Society Members & Advocates, Thank you for your ongoing dedication to space exploration. We’re pleased to provide an update on our Mars Exploration Act (MEA) initiative, which aims to secure congressional support for legislation requiring NASA to develop a plan to land astronauts on Mars within the next decade. This mandate sets a clear direction for Mars exploration, establishing focused goals, timelines, and mission planning independent of existing programs or incentives. As we move forward with advocacy, we’ll rely… READ MORE >

Robert Zubrin Congratulates George Whitesides on Being Elected to Congress

Congratulations to George Whitesides for his hard-fought victory in his race for Congress. George and his wife, Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides, have not only been long time friends of everyone striving for a spacefaring future for humanity, but they have also been leaders in the field themselves. Furthermore, and most importantly, they are fine people, with great minds and great hearts. All Americans have reason to be thankful they will be going to Washington. – Dr. Robert Zubrin, Mars Society President… READ MORE >

MDRS Director Sergii Iakymov to Discuss Mars Mission Simulations & Human Spaceflight Challenges on RPL

The Mars Society is thrilled to announce that Sergii Iakymov, Director of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), will be joining host Ashton Zeth for the next episode of Red Planet Live on Tuesday, November 19th at 5:00 pm PST. With a wealth of experience in aerospace engineering, space research, and Mars analog missions, Sergii will share fascinating insights into the preparation and challenges of human Mars exploration. Sergii’s impressive career includes roles as an Aerospace Engineer, Project Manager, and… READ MORE >

Statement of Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin Concerning the Election of Donald Trump

Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States. The Mars Society is non-partisan and does not endorse any candidate. Many of our members and other space advocates supported Mr. Trump’s election, while many others opposed him. For reasons I have amply explained elsewhere, I have always been a member of the latter group.  That said, whatever we think of the various policies that Mr. Trump has put on offer, there is one that I and the vast majority of Mars Society members certainly support: his promise to initiate a… READ MORE >

Pakistani Schoolgirls Embark on Mars Habitat Project, Inspiring Future Innovators

Students from an all-girls school in Daska, Pakistan, recently joined the Mars Society’s educational initiatives under the guidance of Director of Education, Nicole Willett. This family-funded charity school, which serves girls from playgroup to 12th grade in underserved communities, embraced the program to broaden students’ horizons and ignite their imaginations. Two middle school teams have been selected to build miniature Martian habitats. Team 1, led by Miss Momina and Miss Chashman, includes students Hamna, Aqsa, Aysha, Sana, and Seemab. Team… READ MORE >

MDRS Director Sergii Iakymov Completes 45-Day NASA Simulated Mars Mission in Houston

The Mars Society is proud to announce that Sergii Iakymov, Director of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), has successfully completed a 45-day NASA simulated Mars mission at the HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) facility, located at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The mission, which ran from August 9 to September 23, is a vital part of NASA’s efforts to better understand the physical and psychological challenges astronauts may face during long-duration space missions.  Sergii was selected alongside three… READ MORE >

Ars Technica’s Eric Berger to Discuss SpaceX, Reusable Rockets & the Future of Space Exploration on Red Planet Live

The Mars Society is excited to announce that Eric Berger, Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica and author of the acclaimed books “Liftoff” and his latest, “Reentry”, will be the next guest on the Red Planet Live podcast, hosted by Ashton Zeth, on Tuesday, Oct. 15th at 5pm PT! Eric will discuss “Reentry” and the development of SpaceX’s reusable rockets, focusing on their role in making space travel more affordable. With extensive expertise in aerospace and space policy, Eric will… READ MORE >

Mars Technology Institute to Hold Mars Against Hunger Prize Competition

The Mars Technology Institute (MTI) announced today that it is launching a global competition to demonstrate radically more efficient methods of food production needed to support the human settlement of the Red Planet. MTI is calling its contest the Mars Against Hunger (MAH) Prize because the technologies it aims to develop could go a long way towards ending the age-old scourge of hunger on Earth. There is no technological challenge in providing food for a Mars exploration expedition. Human explorers… READ MORE >

Upcoming Red Planet Live Podcast: Special Recorded Interviews

While our amazing host Ashton Zeth enjoys a well-deserved vacation in early October, our Red Planet Live podcast will feature a special series of short, recorded interviews with six leading experts who spoke at the 27th Annual International Mars Society Convention in Seattle this past August. The taped show will air beginning on Tuesday, October 1st at 5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET. Featured guests include: – Howard Hu, Orion Program Director, NASA – Artemis Program & Returning to… READ MORE >

[Blog] Why Earth & Mars Aren’t Opposites: How Space Exploration & Sustainability Work Together

By Shriya Sawant, Guest Writer, Red Planet Bound, 09.19.24 A heated point of contention between space advocates and environmental advocates can be summarized by one succinct phrase: whether to “Save Earth or Settle Mars”. You might also recognize the phrase “Save Earth and Then Go to Mars,” or vice versa “Why Going to Space will Save Humanity” across many articles, tweets, and blogs. However, a fallacy in all of these statements is that they depict sustainability movements and space exploration… READ MORE >

Robert Zubrin to Discuss New Mars Congressional Campaign on Red Planet Live Podcast

The Mars Society is excited to announce that its president, Dr. Robert Zubrin, will join Red Planet Live on Thursday, September 19th (5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET) to discuss the organization’s new nation-wide campaign urging Congress to ask NASA to develop a plan for landing humans on Mars within the next 10 years. Hosted by Ashton Zeth, the live podcast will offer insights into this bold initiative. The Mars Society has drafted a proposed Mars Exploration Act, requiring… READ MORE >

Mars Society Appoints Ben Stanley as New Analog Research Program Director

The Mars Society is very pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Stanley as the organization’s new Analog Research Program Director. Currently serving as the Assistant Director of the organization’s Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, Ben brings a wealth of experience and passion for space exploration to this pivotal role. In his new position, Ben will collaborate closely with senior officials of the Mars Society to enhance overall science initiatives and implement program-level improvements. This includes developing comprehensive… READ MORE >