Welcome to The Mars Society
This is the global and U.S. site for The Mars Society.
The Purpose of the Mars Society
- Broad public outreach to instill the vision of pioneering Mars.
- Support of ever more aggressive government funded Mars exploration programs around the world.
- Conducting Mars exploration on a private basis.
Founding Declaration
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Interested in finding out more about us? Read the Mars Society
FAQ.Mars Society News
Up one levelSince the Space Debate that took place at the recent Mars Society convention in Boulder on August 14th, there has been an unprecedented amount of discussion about space policy coming from the candidates and their campaigns. While this sudden flurry of space support is indicative of how tight this race has become, it is also a tremendous opportunity for the space community to make sure that humans to Mars will become the official policy of an Obama or McCain administration.
ARCHIMEDES News: Magnetic Field Simulation Test Full Success
Dear Friends of Project ARCHIMEDES, on Friday, August 22, Miriam's Instrument Pod was successfully tested at IABG's Magnetic Field Simulation Facility near Munich, the largest of its kind in the world.
Photo Gallery From 11th Annual International Mars Society Convention Available
Member Ben Huset, who was responsible for filming the presidential space debate at the convention, has now made a gallery of still photos from the convention available on the web.
After receiving the highest number of votes cast by members of the Mars Society and the endorsement of the Steering Committee, Hill's concept to launch a microsatellite that will test artificial gravity generation techniques - which will be of immense value to the crew of a six-month flight to Mars - was named the winner of the MPC Saturday evening at the 11th Annual International Mars Society Convention.
A full streaming video recording of last night's presidential space debate, moderated by space journalist Leonard David and featuring Apollo 7 astronaut Walter Cunningham for Senator John McCain's side and former NASA Associate Administrator Lori Garver for Senator Barack Obama's side, is now available on the Mars Society web site.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Michael Carroll, an award winning and internationally recognized astronomical, science fiction and paleo artist will be a plenary speaker at its 11th Annual International Convention to be held at the University of Colorado at Boulder, August 14-17, 2008. Carroll will be giving his widely renowned "Alien Volcanoes" lecture, a tour of volcanic activity in the Solar System.
We are pleased to announce that Joseph Cassady will be speaking at the 11th Annual International Mars Society Convention. Mr. Cassady is the Director of Emerging Space Exploration Space Systems at Aerojet.
NASA announced on July 31, 2008 that the Thermal and Evolved-Gas Analyzer (TEGA) aboard the Phoenix lander had detected Martian water in a soil sample, a different result from the "evidence for water ice" previously disclosed. Scientists on the Phoenix team are now intent on discovering whether or not Martian water ice ever thaws sufficiently to contribute to the development of complex organic molecules essential for biology. One theory suggests that liquid water existed on Mars as recently as 100,000 years ago, and that there may be dormant microbial colonies and organic life signatures buried beneath the surface of the Martian arctic.
Only two weeks remain until the opening of this year's International Mars Society Convention - register today! We are pleased to announce that Dr. Chris McKay will be speaking at the 11th Annual International Mars Society Convention in Boulder, Colorado. A founding member of The Mars Society, Dr. McKay, is a well known planetary scientist with the Space Science Division of NASA Ames.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that J. Michael Straczynski will be speaking at the 11th Annual International Mars Society Convention.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Carol Stoker will be speaking at the 11th Annual Mars Society Convention in Boulder, Colorado.
The Republican and Democratic parties have created systems where you can express an opinion on what should appear on their national platforms. This is a terrific opportunity for the space community to remind both campaigns that destination-driven human space flight is not only vital to the interests of the United States, but that there are a LOT of constituents who support such programs.
The Mars Society is proud to announce the selection of ten finalists in our Mars Project Challenge. The goal of the MPC was to collect ideas from our members for the next Mars Society project; a project that will provide a REAL contribution to future human missions to Mars.
The Mars Society is pleased to release a preliminary schedule for this year's convention to be held on the campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder, August 14-17, 2008. This year's four-day event includes a diverse panel of speakers who will cover a range of subjects including up-to-the minute reports from the Phoenix and Cassini-Huygens science teams, as well as two special tracks that invite debate and discussion on the topics "Science and Religion" with noted scholars Brother Guy Consolmagno and Ted Peters, and "U.S. Space Policy" with representatives from the campaigns of Senators Barack Obama and John McCain.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael Simpson, President of the International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France, will be one of several keynote speakers during the Plenary Sessions at the Mars Society Convention this August. The International Space University is a world leader in space education, and as such sets the standard for excellence with its international, interdisciplinary, and intercultural academic programs. ISU's alumni represent 95 countries, and rank among the world's most respected space science advocates and scientists. The ISU is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that Dr. Carolyn Porco, a planetary scientist and the leader of the imaging science team on the Cassini-Huygens mission presently in orbit around Saturn, will be speaking at the Mars Society Convention this August. As Director of the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations (CICLOPS), Dr. Porco has presided over the greatest visual survey of a planetary system in the outer solar system. The haunting images and detailed maps created by the Cassini Imaging Team will guide future explorers, both human and robotic, as they travel among Saturn and its icy moons.
NASA announced recently that the Phoenix lander, launched on a mission to the northern polar region of the Red Planet in August 2007, had detected water ice during the first of many chemical analyses planned during the three month mission. In addition, initial mineralogy experiments have revealed a striking similarity between Martian soil and the soil found in the Antarctic region of Earth. The significance of these findings cannot be overstated. Liquid water and chemical energy are essential for life, and in the presence of these two, as Dr. Wesley Huntress once remarked: "Life may be a cosmic imperative."
The drive to Mars is on! The Mars Society and MarsDrive would like to announce a new era of collaboration between our two organizations as we aim for Mars. Recognizing that all groups and individuals have an important role to play in this most challenging of tasks, we will work together in strategic areas which help streamline efforts towards a human future on Mars. MarsDrive will be assisting in various selected Mars Society projects from time to time and doing its best to ensure a new spirit of co-operation exists and flourishes between Mars and space advocacy groups in general.
We are pleased to announce that Dr. S. Pete Worden (Brig. Gen., USAF, ret.) will be speaking at The Mars Society Convention that will be taking place from August 14-17, 2008 in Boulder, Colorado. Dr. Worden currently serves as the Director of the NASA Ames Research Center.
National Geographic Germany Covers FMARS; Scientific American Highlights University Rover Challenge
A pair of Mars Society projects received favorable press coverage recently.
Contained Smart Folders:
- Expired News — by Jean Lagarde — last modified 2007-06-05 00:50
- Expired news, newsletters, press releases (i.e. of mostly historical value).

