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The 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention

“Rising Together”

The Mars Society is pleased to announce that the 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention will be convened Thursday-Sunday, October 15-18, 2020, all over the world via the Internet!

Through the use of unique technology, it will be possible to not only hold presentations, panel discussions and debates, but also to allow people from around the world to participate, posing questions and interacting with one another, creating a virtual global convention of a type never seen before.

The Mars Society’s four-day international conference will bring together leading scientists, government policymakers, commercial space executives, science journalists and space advocates to discuss the latest scientific and technological developments and challenges related to the human and robotic exploration of Mars and the eventual human settlement of the Red Planet.

How to Access the Convention

Register Now (Free Registration!)

Donation Page – A $50 donation is requested to support our organization’s programs.

Official Schedule

[New!] Abstract Book

Sponsorship Opportunities

“Rising Together” Poster contest won by Samer El-Sayary.

Page’s background image courtesy Smithsonian Institution.

Confirmed Speakers

Dr. Farah Alibay, PhD
Systems Engineer, Mars InSight Mission, JPL/NASA
J. Bob Balaram
Chief Engineer, Ingenuity (Mars copter), NASA
Barbara Belvisi
Founder & CEO, Interstellar Lab, Inc.
Nick Booth
Co-Author, "The Search for Life on Mars"
Jim Bridenstine
NASA Administrator
Oscar Castellino
Opera Singer and Creator of the Mars Anthem "Rise to Mars"
Dean Cheng
Senior Research Fellow, The Heritage Foundation
Angela Cui
Director, Mars Society China
Dr. Peter H. Diamandis
Founder & Executive Chairman, X-Prize Foundation
Dr. Abigail Fraeman
Deputy Project Scientist, Curiosity Rover Mission, JPL/NASA
Aliya Grig
Founder, Cosmos Center & Space Visionary
Dr. Michael Griffin
Former Administrator, NASA
Dr. John M. Grunsfeld
Former Astronaut & Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA
Dr. Michael Hecht
Principal Investigator, MOXIE, Mars Perseverance Mission, NASA
Elizabeth Howell
Co-Author, "The Search for Life on Mars"
Kolemann Lutz
Co-Founder, MarsU
Taber MacCallum
The Space Perspective
Kelvin Manning
Associate Director, Kennedy Space Center, NASA
Dr. Chris McKay
Senior Planetary Scientist & Astrobiologist, Ames Research Center, NASA
Dr. Sarah Milkovich
Lead Science Systems Engineer, Mars Perseverance Mission, JPL/NASA
Dr. Mark Panning
Project Scientist & Co-Investigator, Mars InSight Mission, JPL/NASA
Dr. David Poston
Lead, Compact Fission Reactor Design Team, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Dr. Nathan Putzig
Senior Scientist, Planetary Science Institute
Dr. Shannon Rupert
Director, Mars Desert Research Station, The Mars Society
Kevin Sloan
Director, University Rover Challenge, The Mars Society
Ron Sparkman
Founder, Stardom, & Chief Curiosity Correspondent, Space Foundation Discovery Center
Anastasia Stepanova
Engineer, Institute of Biomedical Problems, Crew Member, SIRIUS & Mars160 Missions
Dr. Alan Stern
Principal Investigator, New Horizons Mission, NASA
Dr. Carol Stoker
Senior Planetary Scientist, Ames Research Center, NASA
Rick Tumlinson
Founding Partner, Space Fund
Nicole Willett
Science Educator & Mars Society Steering Committee Member
Dr. Tom Williams
Element Scientist, Human Factors & Behavioral Performance, NASA
Yonatan Winetraub
Co-Founder, SpaceIL
Dr. S. Pete Worden
Executive Director, Breakthrough Starshot, & Former Director, Ames Research Center, NASA
Vandi Verma
Supervisor, Operable Robotics, Mars Perseverance / Mars Curiosity
George Whitesides
Chief Space Officer, Virgin Galactic
Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides
Co-Creator, Yuri's Night, & Author
Dr. Robert Zubrin
President, The Mars Society

Past Conventions

Poster Winner - The 24th Annual International Mars Society Convention
October 15th-17th, 2021
Virtual Convention
Poster Winner - The 23rd Annual International Mars Society Convention
October 15th-19th, 2020
Virtual Convention
Poster Winner - The 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention
October 17-20, 2019
University of Southern California
Poster Winner - The 21st Annual International Mars Society Convention
August 23-26, 2018
Pasadena Convention Center
Poster Winner - The 20th Annual International Mars Society Convention
September 7 - 10, 2017
University of California, Irvine
Poster Winner - The 19th Annual International Mars Society Convention
September 22–25, 2016
Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.