News and Commentary on Space
Jost at Martian Soil says that the next Mars Society conference will be held in Chicago. This was mentioned as a possibility during the Eugene conference, but I had not yet seen an announcement that the choice had been made.
The Mars Society has announced an essay contest, titled “Why Mars?”.
One of the hardest parts of convincing the “person on the street” and therefore the voters, and thence the politicians, is explaining why sending humans to Mars is so critical to our vision of a positive future. The reasons we adopt are as varied as our political, religious and philosophical viewpoints and are usually as well thought out as they are highly personal. It is time to emphasize the importance of why, not just how or when or how much money.
The contest is open to members and non-members of all ages, and can be in standard essay form or “alternative media”. Winners will receive a variety of prizes, from books to conference admission to free MS memberships.
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A young girl sets out to prove herself by resolving a long-forgotten mystery. But when she gets close to the truth, what she thought was a harmless adventure becomes a threat to the future of the independent commercial settlements on Mars.
