Planetary Protection To Be Debated At The Mars Society Convention

MARS SOCIETY ANNOUNCEMENT View this email in your browser Debate on NASA Planetary Protection at 2016 Mars Society Convention NASA’s Office of Planetary Protection is intended to "promote the responsible exploration of the solar system by implementing and developing efforts that protect the science, explored environments and Earth.” This has been a long-standing policy within the agency, but some are beginning to question the need for such confining guidelines when pursuing planetary exploration and, in particular, the search for life on the planet Mars. Critics of planetary protection view NASA’s current policies, intended to safeguard Mars against biological contamination from Earth, as slowing down, even severely restricting efforts to explore the Martian surface with rovers and landers and eventually with human missions to the Red Planet. In addition, opponents charge that these policies place heavy financial burdens on spacecraft development intended for Mars exploration. The issue of NASA’s planetary protection strategy and planning will be debated at a public forum entitled “Planetary Protection – Does It Go Too Far?” at the 19th Annual International Mars Society Convention on Friday, September 23rd at 7:00 pm at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Participating in the planetary protection debate will be: + Pro - Dr. Andrew Spry, Senior Scientist, SETI Institute, & Consultant, Office of Planetary Protection, NASA + Con - Dr. Robert Zubrin, President & Founder, The Mars Society, and President, Pioneer Astronautics + Moderating the debate will be Tariq Malik, Editor, Space.com. Join us in Washington for what will certainly be an interesting and lively debate! Full information about the 2016 Mars Society Convention is currently available online, including registration details and banquet dinner reservations. For those unable to attend the Mars Society Convention, all plenary talks, public debates and panel discussions will be broadcast via live streaming at: http://www.avprva.com/live/mars. For the complete convention program itinerary, please visit our web site. NASA's Curiosity rover at JPL Facebook Twitter Website YouTube Share Tweet The Mars Society 11111 West 8th Avenue, unit A Lakewood, CO 80215 U.S.A. www.marssociety.org @TheMarsSociety Copyright (c) 2016 The Mars Society All rights reserved.

Explore Mars Hosts Congressional Briefing Panel: Humans TO Mars: Why,How and When

Explore Mars Committed to Human Exploration of Mars by the 2030's Congressional Briefing Panel: Humans to Mars: Why, How, and When Explore Mars, Inc. invites you to attend a special briefing/panel discussion entitled, "Humans to Mars: Why, How, and When," that will be held in Room 2325 of the Rayburn House Office Building at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 20, 2016. Members of Congress, congressional staff, policymakers, and the general public are welcome. Explore Mars is also pleased to announce that The Boeing Company will be sponsoring this discussion. Seats are limited, so please RSVP/register as soon as possible athttps://MarsHowandWhy.eventbrite.com Moderating this panel will be Gregory Williams (NASA, Associate Administrator for Policy and Plans, Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate). The panel will consist of distinguished representatives from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Orbital ATK who will discuss current concepts for sending humans to Mars. In addition, former NASA Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate/former astronaut, John Grunsfeld, will also participate on this panel and will address why we should send humans to Mars. "It is important to show Congress and policymakers that Mars is a realistic and attainable goal," commented Explore Mars CEO Chris Carberry. "As we approach the start of a new administration and Congress, the United States must continue to push forward with our plans for Mars." Light refreshments will be served. RSVP/ Register Here Explore Mars' Featured Press and Media   Still waiting for humans on Mars By Rick Zucker and Chris Carberry Is the Moon a necessary step on the path to Mars? by Chris Carberry and Rick Zucker How We’ll Choose the First Mars Colonists by Stephanie M. McPherson   Rocket explosion will delay commercial space deliveries by Brian Dowling Friday, September 02, 2016 Panel discussions from all three days of the 2016 Humans to Mars Summit are now available for viewing online. Were you unable to attend this year? Don't worry we've got you covered! Looking to view a specific panel or want to watch the amazing discussion again? Explore Mars is pleased to announce that we have archived the Summit's panel videos on our website for quick access and your viewing pleasure. To view a specific presentation simply click on the link beside a panel or panel's name. Enjoy! H2M 2016 Plenary NASA Speaker: Dava Newman and Frank Morring Bill Nye "The Science Guy" at H2M 2016  H2M 2016 Moderated Discussion with Joel Achenbach and Andy Weir Watch all of the H2M 2016 Panel Videos Now About Explore Mars  Explore Mars was created to advance the goal of sending humans to Mars within the next two decades. To further that goal, Explore Mars conducts programs and technical challenges to stimulate the development and/or improvement of technologies that will make human Mars missions more efficient and feasible. In addition, to embed the idea of Mars as a habitable planet, Explore Mars challenges educators to use Mars in the classroom as a tool to teach standard STEM curricula. Explore Mars, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation organized in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Copyright © 2016 Explore Mars Inc., All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a result of subscribing to the Newsletter at ExploreMars.Org Our mailing address is: Explore Mars Inc. 100 Cummings Center Suite 331 K Beverly, MA 01915 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

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The Space Review: The best reason to go to Mars

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NASA To Launch New Mars Lander For Deep Underground Exploration In 2018

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The Mars Curiosity Rover Has Driven 9 Miles in The Last 4 Years On Mars

http://www.leonarddavid.com/curiosity-mars-rover-four-years-nearing-nine-miles-of-driving/