The Mars Society is pleased to announce that renowned astro-biochemist Dr. Steven Benner will deliver a plenary talk at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. During his presentation, Dr. Benner will discuss his provocative new book, Meet the Neighbors, which revisits NASA’s Viking missions and argues that the only spacecraft ever sent specifically to search for extant Martian life may actually have detected it. Drawing on… READ MORE >
News & Announcements
June 5th, 2026
Mars Society Announces Upcoming Crew 19 Mission to Flashline Station on Devon Island
The Mars Society is pleased to announce the deployment of Crew 19 to the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in Nunavut Territory in Canada for a multi-week mission beginning in early July during the 2026 Arctic field season. Located approximately 900 miles from the North Pole, Flashline is one of the world’s most important Mars analog research facilities, providing a unique environment for testing technologies, conducting scientific investigations, and studying human performance under conditions similar to those… READ MORE >
May 29th, 2026
China Space Expert Kevin Pollpeter to Speak at 2026 Mars Society Convention
Dr. Kevin Pollpeter, Director of Research for the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI), will participate as a plenary speaker at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. A leading expert on China’s space program, information warfare, and national security strategy, Dr. Pollpeter has spent decades analyzing the evolving role of space in global competition and military affairs. Prior to joining CASI, he served as a Senior Research… READ MORE >
May 21st, 2026
The Gravity of the Situation: The Physics of Landing Spacecraft on Mars [Blog]
By Leo Farrell, Senior Writer, Red Planet Bound Landing a craft on Mars is one of the most scientifically advanced feats of engineering humanity has ever pulled off. A handful of rovers have touched down, and these successes, along with modern efforts like the Artemis II mission, signify the leaps and bounds researchers have made in forging resilient spacecraft. Eventually, a human will set foot on the red planet because of a next-generation machine, thanks to the years of research… READ MORE >
May 20th, 2026
Stand Up for NASA Science & America’s Space Future
The Mars Society is proud to join a broad coalition of scientific organizations, advocacy groups, industry associations, labor unions, and research institutions in urging Congress to reject the proposed FY 2027 cuts to NASA’s space science programs. Led by The Planetary Society, this joint effort reflects growing concern across the American space community that these proposed reductions would seriously damage U.S. leadership in planetary exploration, scientific discovery, technology development, and STEM education. We invite supporters to read and share the… READ MORE >
May 19th, 2026
Mars Technology Institute Featured in New Red Planet Live Interview
Red Planet Live, the Mars Society’s podcast hosted by Ashton Zeth, has released a new pre-recorded interview special focused on the work and future vision of the Mars Technology Institute (MTI), a research initiative dedicated to advancing technologies essential for long-term human settlement on Mars. The episode features conversations with Quinn Morley, CEO & Co-founder of Unleashed Robotics, Shaun Riddell, CEO of Space DIRT, and Julien Villa-Massone of Dynamik Orbits, exploring breakthrough developments in robotics, artificial intelligence, biosignature research, autonomous… READ MORE >
May 18th, 2026
Curiosity Rover Project Scientist Joins 2026 Mars Society Convention Lineup
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that renowned planetary scientist Dr. Ashwin Vasavada will serve as a plenary speaker at the 2026 International Mars Society Convention, taking place October 22–24 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. Dr. Vasavada is a leading expert on Mars exploration and currently serves as Project Scientist for NASA’s Curiosity rover mission at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Over the course of his distinguished career, he has played a major role… READ MORE >
