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 >
Topic Area: Mars
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 >
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 >
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 >
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 >
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 >
The Mars Society is honored to announce that Dr. Orson Sutherland, Programme Manager for Mars Exploration and Acting Exploration Chief Scientist at the European Space Agency (ESA), will deliver a (virtual) plenary address during the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention October 9-11, 2025 at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles). Dr. Sutherland will outline ESA’s current and future plans for exploring Mars and beyond, drawing from his extensive experience leading key programs such as the ExoMars mission and… READ MORE >
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Kris Zacny, Vice President and Director of Exploration Technology at Honeybee Robotics (an American subsidiary of Blue Origin), will be a featured speaker at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, scheduled for October 9–11, 2025 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. As a senior research scientist with expertise in planetary robotic systems for life detection, planetary mining, mobility, surface power, and structures, Dr. Zacny offers invaluable insights into advancing… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is very pleased to announce that Dr. Vandi Verma, a trailblazer in space robotics and autonomous systems from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will deliver a plenary address at the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention. This exciting event will take place at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles from October 9–11, 2025 and promises to be a highlight for those passionate about advancing Mars exploration. Dr. Verma brings a wealth of experience from her groundbreaking… READ MORE >
Red Planet Live is excited to welcome Dr. Luther “Luke” Beegle — a veteran NASA scientist and current executive at Northrop Grumman — for a 60‑minute live broadcast on Tuesday, April 1 at 5:00 pm PT with host Ashton Zeth. At Northrop Grumman, a global leader in aerospace, defense, and space technology, Dr. Beegle directs advanced programs in robotics, autonomous systems, and in‑situ instrumentation for NASA missions, Department of Defense initiatives, and commercial space ventures. Over his 25‑year career at NASA,… READ MORE >
Awesome news! 38 students from 11 countries have advanced to the final round of the Mars Society’s 2025 University Rover Challenge! Student teams have built their next-generation Mars rovers before the final round and will now showcase their robotics expertise at the MDRS – Mars Desert Research Station campus in southern Utah May 28-31. These innovative rovers are designed to one day assist human explorers on the Red Planet. URC was launched in 2006, with competitions being held every summer… READ MORE >
The Mars Society is thrilled to announce its annual poster design contest—and is calling on all creative minds! If you have a passion for graphic design and a love for Mars and space exploration, this is your chance to make your mark. The winning poster will be featured as the main promotional graphic for the 28th Annual International Mars Society Convention, set for October 9–11, 2025 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. This year’s convention theme, “Mars:… READ MORE >
News broke today that the Trump administration will ask for a 50 percent cut in NASA’s Space Science Directorate budget for FY 2026. These cuts will almost certainly entail the shutting down of the Mars Curiosity rover, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Voyager and New Horizon interstellar probes, among others, and derail almost all plans for future American planetary exploration and astronomy missions. The Mars Society stands 100 percent in opposition to this brutal attempt to wreck American space science…. READ MORE >
High Schoolers, Ready to Conquer Mars? Join the 2025 Mission to Mars Engineering Design Competition!
The Mars Society is very proud to launch its Fourth Annual International Mission to Mars Engineering Design Competition for high school students aged 13-19 worldwide. This exciting virtual program invites students to take on a hands-on design challenge and explore the future of Mars exploration. Running Monday through Friday from June 9 – July 18, 2025, the program features lectures and workshops led by top scientists and engineers from NASA, the aerospace industry, and global academia. Participants will design a… READ MORE >
Get ready, Mars enthusiasts! The 2025 International Mars Society Convention is set for Thursday-Saturday, October 9–11 at USC (University of Southern California) in Los Angeles—its 28th year as the premier global conference on Mars exploration, human settlement planning, and cutting-edge space technologies. As the U.S. government announces its intention to make a near-term human mission to Mars the central goal of America’s space program, the convention’s theme “Mars: The Time has Come” will be right on target. Join leading scientists,… READ MORE >
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 >
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 >
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 >
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 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 >
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 >
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 >
Anna Wadhwa, a MD student at Harvard Medical School and a Ph.D. candidate at MIT’s Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics, will give a presentation at the 27th Annual International Mars Society Convention at the University of Washington (Seattle) this August, with the title of her address being “You Spin Me ‘Right Round’: The Latest Research on Artificial Gravity by Centrifugation and Its Implications for Human Space Exploration.” Interested in enabling human space exploration to the Moon, Mars and beyond, Ms…. READ MORE >
By Dr. Robert Zubrin, SpaceNews.com, 05.06.24 NASA’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission has run aground, wrecked by a $10 billion price estimate, a 16 year timeline and excessive mission and programmatic risk. If the mission is to proceed, a much simpler and cheaper approach must be found. Fortunately, such an approach is available. The current MSR mission plan is so costly, complex, and risky because it has not been approached as a mission to be accomplished as swiftly and cheaply as possible,… READ MORE >
Dr. Kris Zacny, VP and Director of Exploration Technology at Honeybee Robotics, will be speaking at the 27th Annual International Mars Society Convention (Aug 8-11, 2024) at the University of Washington Seattle. He’ll share insights on robotic space exploration and mining. Honeybee Robotics is renowned for its innovative robotic systems, serving diverse industries such as spacecraft, defense, medical devices, and more. Dr. Zacny’s expertise spans space mining, In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), and planetary geotechnical engineering. With a Ph.D. in… READ MORE >