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Book Recommendation: The Case for Nukes by Robert Zubrin

Book Review by James Burk, Executive Director of the Mars Society Dr. Robert Zubrin’s latest book, The Case for Nukes, provides a sweeping history of energy technology advances and presents a compelling and detailed defense of one of humanity’s most promising yet misunderstood sources of energy. Many positive reviews are coming in, such as this one from Reason magazine, and I want to join those who are hailing this as an influential and thought-provoking work. In addition to promoting nuclear… READ MORE >

Making the moon and Mars possible

Commentary by Dr. Robert Zubrin, Founder and President of the Mars Society Originally published in SpaceNews’ Apollo at 50 digital edition On July 20, 1989, the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, President George H.W. Bush got up on the steps of the National Air and Space Museum flanked by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins and declared that in the tradition of their great feat, he was declaring that the United States would now set its… READ MORE >

[National Review Op-Ed] Zubrin Critique of NASA’s Vendor-Driven Artemis Program

At Today’s NASA, Success Is Not an Option By Robert Zubrin National Review, 06.12.19 The Trump administration has proposed a bold new initiative, dubbed the Artemis Program, that will send astronauts to the Moon by 2024 and Mars by 2033. As detailed by NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine in a presentation on May 23, the program will include some 37 launches by 2028, kicked off by the maiden launch of the agency’s new Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift booster in October 2020…. READ MORE >

Mars Society President Publishes “The Case for Space”

Mars Society president Dr. Robert Zubrin has published a new book. Entitled “The Case for Space: How the Revolution in Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Unlimited Possibility,” the book has received rave reviews in USA Today and Forbes. According to Glenn Reynolds, writing in USA Today: “In his new book …The Case For Space: How the Revolution in Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Limitless Possibility, famed astronautical engineer Bob Zubrin talks about the how and the why of… READ MORE >

Zubrin Comments on New Independent Report on Human Mars Mission

According to an article by Jeff Foust in the April 18th issue of Space News, an “Independent report concludes that a 2033 human Mars mission is not feasible.” Foust reports: “STPI (the Science and Technology Policy Institute) at NASA’s direction, used the strategy the agency had laid out in its ‘Exploration Campaign’ report, which projects the continued use of the Space Launch System and Orion and development of the lunar Gateway in the 2020s. That would be followed by the… READ MORE >

[R.Zubrin Op-Ed] Lunar Gateway or Moon Direct? [4.17.19]

By Robert Zubrin Space News, 04.17.19 NASA has proposed to build a lunar orbiting space station, called the lunar Gateway, to use as a base for lunar exploration. This plan is severely defective. The Gateway project may be compared to a deal in which you are offered a chance to rent an office in Thule, Greenland, on the following terms: 1. You pay to construct the building. 2. You accept a 30-year lease with high monthly rents and no exit clause…. READ MORE >

Robert Zubrin to Introduce New Book at SoCal Meeting

The Mars Society Southern California (SoCal) chapter is pleased to announce that it will be hosting a special event this Friday (April 19th) at 7:00 pm in Pasadena with Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin speaking about his new book, “The Case for Space: How the Revolution in Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Limitless Possibility.” In his latest work, due out next month, Dr. Zubrin talks about the new space race, not involving rival superpowers, but rather competing entrepreneurs… READ MORE >

Zubrin Responds to New Pence-NASA Lunar Initiative

In response to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s NASA announcement in Huntsville, Alabama earlier today, Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin commented: Vice President Pence’s declaration of intent to land Americans on the Moon by 2024 was a welcome statement of resolve, vitally necessary to give the nation a human space flight program that is actually going somewhere. His call to put the base at the lunar South Pole is also welcome since that is where ice reserves can be… READ MORE >

Mars Society President to Visit China

Dr. Robert Zubrin, President of the Mars Society, will be visiting China in late March to give a series of public lectures on planning for human Mars exploration and the importance of international cooperation in exploring space. He will also be attending the inaugural meeting of the Mars Society China chapter and discussing his premier book on Mars exploration, “The Case for Mars”, which was published in Chinese. For more details, please visit the Mars Society China Facebook page…. READ MORE >

We Have the Technology to Build a Colony on the Moon. Let’s Do It. [R.Zubrin & H.Hickam]

By Robert Zubrin & Homer Hickam The Washington Post, 12.10.18 Robert Zubrin is president of the Mars Society and Pioneer Astronautics and the author of “The Case for Mars.” Homer Hickam is a former NASA engineer and the author of multiple books, including the memoir “Rocket Boys,” which was made into the film “October Sky.” Late last year, President Trump directed NASA to “lead the return of humans to the moon.” For most folks, the meaning of this was pretty clear: Americans would soon walk on… READ MORE >

AMA (Reddit) with Mars Society President Robert Zubrin

With growing public interest in the exploration of Mars and a human mission to the Red Planet, the Mars Society invites you to participate in a special AMA (Ask Me Anything) r/Space session with its president and founder Dr. Robert Zubrin on Friday, November 16th at 1:00 pm MST (3:00 pm EST / 8:00 pm GMT). As a top Mars advocate and one of the world’s leading experts on planning a mission to Mars and eventual human settlement of our… READ MORE >

Moon Direct: A Purpose-Driven Plan to Open the Lunar Frontier [R.Zubrin]

By Dr. Robert Zubrin, President, The Mars Society The American human spaceflight program, armed with a clear goal, stormed heaven in the 1960s. But for almost a half-century since, it has been adrift, spending vast sums of money with no serious objective beyond keeping various constituencies and vendors satisfied. If it is to accomplish anything, it needs a real goal. Ideally, that goal should be sending humans to Mars within a decade. But after all these years of stagnation and… READ MORE >

[Zubrin] Why an Orbiting Moon Station is the Worst Idea of the New Space Age

By Dr. Robert Zubrin The New Scientist, 08.29.18, Commentary US Vice President Mike Pence says a habitable base orbiting the moon will be built and in use by 2024. It’s a pointless distraction, warns Mars Society president Robert Zubrin Before last weekend’s Mars Society convention, a reporter asked me what I thought of the Trump administration’s plan to send astronauts to the moon. No doubt he expected me to explain why the Red Planet is a much more suitable goal, but I… READ MORE >

[NBC News] Robert Zubrin Wants to Establish a ‘New Branch of Human Civilization’ on Mars

By Denise Chow, NBC News, 08.19.18 To say Robert Zubrin is passionate about Mars is a bit of an understatement. The 66-year-old aerospace engineer has devoted the better part of his life to thinking about and encouraging the exploration of Mars. In 1998, Zubrin co-founded The Mars Society, a Lakewood, Colorado-based nonprofit, and in the years since has become an outspoken advocate for the establishment of a permanent settlement on Mars — and a harsh critic of what he considers NASA’s stagnant… READ MORE >