Press Release: 2017 Humans to Mars Report Released at Humans to Mars Summit.
Washington, DC, May 9, 2017: Explore Mars, Inc. is pleased to announce that the 2017 Humans to Mars Report (http://www.exploremars.org/the-humans-to-mars-report) was officially released today on the opening morning of the three-day Humans to Mars Summit (https://H2M.ExploreMars.org) in Washington, DC.
This annual publication provides a snapshot of current progress in mission architectures, science, policy, international engagement, human factors, and public perception regarding human missions to Mars, and highlights progress and challenges from year to year. By doing so, this report provides stakeholders and policy makers with a resource to help them make decisions based on the most current information rather than on outdated sources, speculation, and occasional misinformation.
According to Explore Mars, Inc Board member, and Executive Vice President, Joe Cassady, “This report has become a valuable resource for members of the space community and policymakers. It not only provides a clear overview of progress and challenges in key aspects of mission planning, but it also serves to dispel misinformation and confusion regarding the feasibility of human missions to Mars by the early 2030s”
As highlighted in this year’s report, there have been significant developments since the premiere issue was released in 2015. Mars has been in the news regularly, and the United States has embraced Mars as the goal for human space flight more than ever before. For example, the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 was passed overwhelmingly by Congress and signed into law by President Trump. This act contains the most comprehensive language requiring human missions to Mars that has ever appeared in U.S. legislation.
“The Humans to Mars Report has quickly become one of the most influential annual publications in the space community,” stated Explore Mars Board member, Mike Raftery. “The 2016 H2MR was directly cited in the NASA Transition Authorization Act, and we hope that the new edition will have an even greater impact.”
However, much additional progress is needed, and greater urgency is required to achieve the goal of landing humans on Mars. More clarity is required about the intermediate steps that will be needed for human landings on Mars. The 2017 Humans to Mars Report will help to enable a human presence on Mars beginning in the early 2030s.
According to Explore Mars President, Artemis Westenberg, “It is wonderful we are still on a firm course to put humans on Mars by 2033. Explore Mars and all its partners will work relentlessly to meet that date.”
Over the next few weeks, Explore Mars will distribute this report to every member of Congress, all attendees of the Humans to Mars Summit, policymakers, members of the press, and space exploration stakeholders.
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.
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