By 
December 6th, 2025
Image credit: NAS
What is a science strategy for the human exploration of Mars?
A special webinar is being held on December 9, tied to release of a National Academy of Sciences report.
This new National Academies report — A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars — outlines how future missions can advance the highest-priority scientific goals for understanding the Red Planet.
Also, how best to prepare for sustained human exploration of that world.
New era of discovery
The report identifies opportunities to search for signs of life beyond Earth, reveal how planets evolve, and test systems and resources that can support humans far from home.
Humans and robots on Mars are likely to team up to augment the types of exploration avenues that can be done on the Red Planet.
Credit: NASA/Ames Research Center
“When astronauts set foot on Mars, it will be one of humanity’s greatest milestones,” explains the National Academies. “These first steps will be the result of decades of research, engineering, and imagination coming together, marking the beginning of a new era of discovery on another planet.”
Image credit: NAS
Blue-ribbon study group
Steering Committee Members for the report are:
DOMINIC (TONY) ANTONELLI, Antonelli Consulting Company, LLC
PENELOPE J. BOSTON, NASA Ames Research Center
CHRISTOPHER E. CARR, Georgia Institute of Technology
BARBARA A. COHEN, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
JONATHAN H. JIANG, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
JAMES F. KASTING (NAS), Pennsylvania State University
PASCAL LEE, SETI Institute, Mars Institute, Kepler Space University, NASA Ames Research Center, Ceres Robotics
JAMES A. PAWELCZYK, Pennsylvania State University
NILTON O. RENNO, University of Michigan
MICHAEL G. RYSCHKEWITSCH, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
JULIANNA M. SCHEIMAN, Space Exploration Technologies
WANDA A. SIGUR (NAE), Lambent Engineering
ERIKA B. WAGNER, Blue Origin
Live streamed
The event will be held at the National Academies Keck Center in Washington D.C. and live streamed online on December 9 from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM (ET).
To tap into the event, go to:
https://events.nationalacademies.org/46072/begin?i=PppaBO1MIWxCjoWZntZw9lMS6Uv0nSeN
The Red Planet as seen by Europe’s Mars Express.
Image credit: ESA/D. O’Donnell – CC BY-SA IGO
Posted in Space News
