James Anderson
Dr. Robert Zubrin is the author of numerous books concerning space travel to Mars, including The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must and Entering Space: Creating a Spacefaring Civilization. During his recent lecture at the Centennial Campus, he outlined plans for a manned operation to Mars, demonstrated technology that would be used to explore the red planet, and discussed the importance of such a mission and what it could hold for the future of mankind.
Zubrin holds a B.A. in Mathematics, a masters in Aeronautics and Astronautics, as well as a masters and PH.D Nuclear Engineering. Zubrin has worked on Lockheed Martin’s scenario team and helped develop the Mars Direct program. In addition, Zubrin helped found The Mars Society, which is dedicated to encouraging other governments to participate in a space mission to Mars.
Mars Society has chapters from 44 different countries worldwide, and numerous chapters in the United States. Their purpose is to further the goal of the exploration and settlement of Mars. They are doing this three ways: encouraging broad public outreach to instill the vision of pioneering Mars, getting support from government-funded Mars programs around the world, and conducting private exploration of Mars.
The Society has set up a Mars exploration scenario camp on Canada’s Devon Island just 900 miles from the North Pole. This camp tries to simulate as closely as possible the conditions astronauts might face when exploring Mars. A second camp, which is located in the Utah desert, five hours south of Salt Lake City also runs simulations. These camps assist in not only preparing for human exploration of Mars, but also increasing public awareness of a manned mission.
The Mars Society will holds its 9th annual conferences to increase awareness of the Mars Direct program and to get the public involved in making a Mars mission a reality. This year’s conference will be held in Washington, D.C. from August 3-6.
Zubrin’s plan of Mars Direct is based on technology currently in use and would cost next to nothing compared to other missions. He has presented this plan to the U.S. Congress, Britain’s Parliament, and recently to the government of China. His hopes are that increasing interest will spark world government programs to implement goals to reach the red planet within10 years.
Zubrin’s interest in space started as a child. He states that as a child he would always read science fiction novels. His real inspiration came from the Russians in the form of Sputnik. “For most, this was a frightening concept, sending men to space. For me, it meant that everything I read in my books may one day become reality. For me, it was hope.”
For more information on Mars Direct, Dr. Robert Zubrin, and The Mars Society visit www.MarsSociety.org
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