Author: Michael Stoltz

Posts by Michael Stoltz

RPL Pre-Recorded Interviews from 2023 International Convention

The Mars Society invites you to a special pre-recorded episode of its Red Planet Live (RPL) video podcast with host Ashton Zeth interviewing a number of speakers from the recent 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention at Arizona State University (Tempe). With Ashton serving as a senior volunteer during the Arizona conference October 5-8, a decision was made to schedule a series of brief recorded interviews with plenary and track talk speakers for the October show for streaming beginning Tuesday,… READ MORE >

Help Wanted: Scientists & Engineers to Enable the Human Settlement of Mars

The Mars Society is founding the Mars Technology Institute (MTI) to develop the technologies and financial engine needed to enable the human settlement of the Red Planet. We anticipate beginning research and development operations on approximately January 2, 2024, and are looking for highly-skilled and hard-working biotechnologists and chemical engineers to join our team. The location of our facility is still being finalized, but it will most likely either be in the Seattle or Denver area. The MTI will offer… READ MORE >

JPL Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Lead to Address 2023 Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Theodore (Teddy) Tzanetos, Manager of the JPL Mars Ingenuity Helicopter mission, will give a virtual plenary address this week during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention at ASU (Tempe). The title of his talk will be “Ingenuity – The Martian Wright Flyer and Beyond.” In addition to supervising the Ingenuity helicopter mission at JPL, Mr. Tzanetos is also the Manager of JPL’s sample recovery helicopters to be used as part of… READ MORE >

Join Us Virtually or In-Person for the 2023 Mars Society Convention!

The Mars Society will officially open its 26th annual international convention on the Arizona State University campus in Tempe October 5-8, serving once again as the world’s largest multi-day forum on Mars exploration, planning for human settlement, and cutting-edge topics related to space exploration, science, and technology. As always, the four-day Mars Society conference will convene a wide range of scientists, engineers, aerospace executives, government policymakers, analog astronauts, and space advocates to discuss and analyze the latest news about humanity’s plans for exploring Mars… READ MORE >

Farming on Mars: Interview w/ Dr. Robert Zubrin

By Brandon Gorrell & Owen Lewis, TheWhitePill.PW (09.23.23) Reader, hi, it’s the 24th issue of the White Pill, and it’s easily our best issue yet. This one has a lead story: an interview with the legendary Robert Zubrin, founder of Mars Society, prolific space and science writer, and preeminent aerospace engineer. We discuss farming on Mars, and how to get rich off of Martian technology. While there’s significant investment and R&D into terrestrial biotech applications, Martian biotech is underserved, and could doubly produce… READ MORE >

Two Weeks until 2023 Int’l Mars Society Convention at ASU

The Mars Society will officially open its 26th annual international convention two weeks from today on the Arizona State University campus in Tempe October 5-8, serving once again as the world’s largest multi-day forum on Mars exploration, planning for human settlement, and cutting-edge topics related to space exploration, science, and technology. As always, the four-day conference will convene a wide range of scientists, engineers, aerospace executives, government policymakers, analog astronauts, and space advocates to discuss and analyze the latest news… READ MORE >

NASA HERA Astronaut to Give Plenary Talk at 2023 Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Roberto Carlino, an aerospace engineer at NASA Ames Research Center and a former NASA HERA analog astronaut, will give a plenary address during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention this October at Arizona State University in Tempe. The title of Mr. Carlino’s talk will be “What I learned from 45 days in isolation with NASA’s HERA mission,” which took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in early 2022 with… READ MORE >

2023 Convention Program Itinerary Now Available Online

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that the official program itinerary for the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention is now available online. Check it out at: https://bit.ly/3LnO34W. The global forum, to be held at Arizona State University (Tempe) from October 5-8, will include dozens of talks by leading scientists, engineers, government policymakers, members of the media, and space advocates about the latest news about Mars and space exploration. A special panel has also been scheduled to outline the… READ MORE >

Physician Shawna Pandya to Discuss Space Medicine at 2023 Mars Society Convention

Dr. Shawna Pandya, a physician, scientist-astronaut candidate, and Director of the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences Space Medicine Group, will be delivering a plenary address during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 5-8 at ASU (Tempe). Her talk, titled ‘Medicine for the Moon, Mars and Benefits for Earth,’ will cover her extensive research on medical guidelines for commercial suborbital spaceflight, space technologies that have benefitted terrestrial medicine, and psychological resilience and reproduction & sexuality in long-duration… READ MORE >

ASU’s Sara Walker to Review Theories for Possible Martian Life during Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to welcome Dr. Sara I. Walker, an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist at Arizona State University (Tempe), as one of our plenary speakers during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention this October.  The title of her address will be “Mars: Red and Dead?”, discussing planetary theories for life and implications for whether or not Mars is a living world. Currently serving as a professor with the ASU School of Earth & Space Exploration, the Bio-Social… READ MORE >

Join Dr. Zubrin during Reddit AMA (Sept. 9)

THIS SATURDAY (September 9th), Dr. Robert Zubrin, President of the Mars Society, will participate in a Reddit AMA talk (r/SpaceX) at 12:00 pm PT / 3:00 pm ET, taking questions from a global audience about humans to Mars, plans for the new Mars Technology Institute initiative, general space exploration, STEM education, and much more. We hope that you’ll be able to join us today and get all your questions ready for Dr. Zubrini. He’s looking forward to it!… READ MORE >

PSI’s Than Putzig to Examine Search for Buried Martian Ice at Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Nathaniel “Than” Putzig, Associate Director and senior planetary geophysicist at the Planetary Science Institute in Colorado, will discuss exploring for buried ice on the Red Planet during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention this October at ASU (Tempe). Dr. Putzig has been investigating the geology, climate, and resources of the planet Mars with radar, thermal, and other spacecraft data for over 20 years, and currently serves as the U.S. team… READ MORE >

Mars Society to Launch Mars Technology Institute

The Mars Society announced today that it is launching an initiative to create the Mars Technology Institute (MTI), whose purpose will be to develop the technologies needed to settle the Red Planet. Commenting on the project, Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin said: “SpaceX and other entrepreneurial launch companies are already moving rapidly to develop the transportation systems that can get us to the planet Mars. What is needed is an institution devoted to developing the technologies that will allow… READ MORE >

Mars Society Convention Begins in One Month at ASU – Register Online Today

The Mars Society will officially open its 26th annual international convention one month from today on the picturesque Arizona State University campus in Tempe October 5-8, serving once again as the world’s largest multi-day forum on Mars exploration, planning for human settlement, and cutting-edge topics related to space exploration, science, and technology. As always, the four-day Mars Society conference will convene a wide range of scientists, engineers, aerospace executives, government policymakers, analog astronauts, and space advocates to discuss and analyze… READ MORE >

2023 Mars Society Poster Contest Winner

Let’s give a BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE to the winner of the 2023 Mars Society Poster Contest – Cole Pazar! Cole’s creative design, incorporating the theme “Mars for All“, will be used in a variety of ways to promote the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 5-8 at Arizona State University in Tempe. Based in southern California, Cole serves as a Starship Avionics Development Technician for SpaceX and states as one of his goals to “try to… READ MORE >

Mars Society’s Robert Zubrin to Make Special Announcement on Red Planet Live Podcast

Dr. Robert Zubrin, President and founder of the Mars Society, will be making a special announcement during his upcoming appearance on the organization’s Red Planet Live (RPL) podcast, set for Wednesday, September 6th at 5:00 pm PT / 8:00 pm ET.  In addition to being the leading global advocate of humans to Mars, Dr. Zubrin is a respected aerospace engineer and prominent author and was the driving force behind the concept of Mars Direct – a proposal intended to produce significant reductions in the cost… READ MORE >

Austrian Space Forum’s Gernot Grömer to Discuss Mars Analog Research at Mars Society Convention

With the fast-paced growth of Mars analog facilities and related research around the world, the Mars Society has invited Dr. Gernot Grömer, Founder and Administrative Director of the Austrian Space Forum, to give a plenary talk during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention this October on the topic of “AMADEE-24: A 25-Nation Mars Analog Mission in the Caucasus Mountains.” Established in 1998, ASF (or Österreichisches Weltraum Forum in German) is an organization involving experts in the field of analog research… READ MORE >

Mongolian Chapter Delegation to Attend & Present at Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that a delegation from the MARS-V Project, the official Mongolian chapter of the Mars Society, will attend and present at the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention October 5-8 at Arizona State University (Tempe). Senior members of the visiting MARS-V group will give presentations during the convention about planning for the Gobi Desert-based Mars analog station, discussing the most recent technical developments and module program developments for MARS-V.   Partially due to the… READ MORE >

ASU’s Greg Autry to Evaluate NASA Science Budget during Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Greg Autry of the Arizona State University Thunderbird School of Global Management (TSGM) will give a plenary talk about the current state of NASA’s science budget and its likely impact on future plans for space exploration during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention this October at ASU (Tempe). A Clinical Professor and Director of TSGM’s Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy, and Business and an Affiliate Professor with ASU’s Interplanetary… READ MORE >

Students to Debate ‘Mars or Bust?’ at 2023 Mars Society Convention

During the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention, set for October 5-8, 2023 at Arizona State University (Tempe), the Mars Society and Debate to Educate will be convening the final round of a special debate held virtually on the issue of “Mars or Bust?” involving middle school and high school students from around the world. Debate to Educate, a prominent non-profit group that organizes international educational debates, and the Mars Society have scheduled a series of online debates on whether… READ MORE >

Mars Society Convention to Host First Annual Analog Research Poster Contest

The Mars Society announced today that it will be holding the First Annual Analog Research Poster Contest during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention, set for October 5-8, 2023 at Arizona State University (Tempe). Organizers are inviting all Mars analog scientists and crew members to submit their research in poster form for consideration. Unlike traditional events, those participating in the contest will not be required to attend the conference in person, but instead can just forward their poster design…. READ MORE >

RPL Podcast to Welcome Rover Challenge Panel to Next Episode

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Kevin Sloan, Director of the Mars Society’s University Rover Challenge (URC), and several student team participants will be joining Red Planet Live host Ashton Zeth on Tuesday, August 15th (5:00 pm PT) to talk about the recent rover competition held in Utah, robotics, and STEM education. Launched in 2006, URC is the world’s premier robotics competition consistently drawing talented and promising university students from around the world. Held annually in the desert of… READ MORE >

Update about Mongolia’s Partnership with the Mars Society & Its Growing Involvement in Space

The Mars Society is pleased to bring you several updates about the growing partnership between the Mars Society and Mongolia’s MARS-V Project, an initiative in Mongolia to build the next Mars analog simulation station in the Gobi Desert. The MARS-V Project has recently become the Mars Society’s first official chapter in Mongolia. This new initiative signifies the country’s alignment with a global community of scientists, researchers and space enthusiasts. As one of the coldest and most inhospitable deserts on Earth,… READ MORE >

NASA MEP Deputy Director Tiffany Morgan to Address Mars Society Convention

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Tiffany M. Morgan, Deputy Director of the Mars Exploration Program in NASA’s Science Directorate, will be giving a plenary address during the 26th Annual International Mars Society Convention at Arizona State University (Tempe), set for October 5-8, 2023. The title of her talk will be “Exploring Mars Together, DRAFT Plan for a Sustainable Future for Science at Mars”. In her current role at the agency, Ms. Morgan provides program leadership in exploring… READ MORE >