May 24, 2004: NASA-ESA Study Shows Mars Direct Affordable.
Source: Mars Society, www.marssociety.org

A joint study conducted by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) shows that a humans to Mars program based on the Mars Direct mission plan is affordable with every additional human mission after the initial development cost of 26-40 billion dollars, costing ONLY 7 billion dollars (just 9 times the cost of Spirit and Oppurtunity, but with the human team being 100s of times faster !).

To read the complete Hunt/Van Pelt paper,click here

May 13, 2004, Austin, TX: A 2 year old enjoying free shrimps at a Long John Silver thanks to Oppurtunity's discovery on Mars. Click here to see the photos from the free shrimp day.

March 8, 2004: Talking about life on Mars, with all the recent hints of water, here is an interesting article sent to us by our member John Burke.

Feb 27, 2004: Oppurtunity caught this blue and dusty sunset on Mars. Click below to watch the sunset movie -

Credit: NASA,JPL. Click here to read the full story at JPL's website.

Feb 25, 2004: This is an excellent article on why we should explore space. Click on the link below to read -
America recommitting itself to space exploration would herald... The dawn of a new age

Jan 26, 2004: Mars Society's responds to the US President's new Moon-Mars initiative. Click here to read the full text on that. Also click herefor the audio of Zubrin's interview with NPR on this issue.

Jan 24, 2004: Spirit and Oppurtunity are up and roving on Mars now - two for two! Click here for latest images and updates.

R.J. Pfammater from our local chapter gave this talk at the 2003 annual Mars Society convention, regarding his suggestions/alternative plan for the first manned mission to Mars.