Coinciding with increased national interest in space exploration, Explore Mars announces the Humans to Mars (H2M) Summit, the definitive event on transforming Mars exploration from a goal to a reality. The H2M Summit takes place May 6, 2013, to May 8, 2013, at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

“Our goal for the summit is to not only address the challenges of humans going to Mars but also to propose real solutions”

Co-sponsored by Explore Mars and the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, H2M will feature topics that address the complex questions of how to get humans to Mars by 2030 and the technical, scientific and policy-related challenges. H2M is the most comprehensive Mars exploration event to date.

Speakers include:

Buzz Aldrin, creator of the Aldrin Mars Cycler, former Apollo XI astronaut
Dennis Tito, Executive Director, Inspiration Mars
Charles Bolden, Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google
Rebecca Keiser, NASA’s Associate Deputy Administrator for strategy and policy
Miles O’Brien, science correspondent for PBS NewsHour
Steve Squyres, professor of astronomy at Cornell University

Panel topics include:

Humans to Mars: Science and Engineering
Living on Mars: Biomedical Challenges
Living on Mars: Habitation and Life Support Challenges
Mars Agriculture
International Cooperation

For an expanded list of panels and in-depth speaker biographies, please visit h2m.exploremars.org. Follow the conference on Twitter at #H2Msummit.

“Our goal for the summit is to not only address the challenges of humans going to Mars but also to propose real solutions,” said Chris Carberry, Executive Director of Explore Mars. “With the collaboration of experts in the space and science communities and non-traditional players, we will come out of the summit enlightened, encouraged and ready to plan for a human mission to Mars by 2030.”

Recently, a nationwide poll found that Americans are supportive of sending humans to Mars within the next two decades. In light of these findings, the time for public discourse and action is now. The H2M Summit will provide a platform for seasoned, space exploration professionals and industry newcomers to launch ideas and solutions. Attendance is open to the public, so those interested in Mars exploration are invited and encouraged to attend.

Tickets for the H2M Summit are available at a reduced rate now through April 7. Additionally, Explore Mars encourages student participation and offers a student discount. The event will kick-off with registration beginning on May 6 at 8 a.m. Members of the media are encouraged to register early for press passes.

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. Donations to Explore Mars are tax-deductible. Learn more at www.exploremars.org or email info@ExploreMars.org.

Contacts

Phillips & Company
Avery Butner, 512-402-5857 ext 34
abutner@phillipscompany.com
www.phillipscompany.com