September 15th: Starchaser Industries, long-time friend and supporter of the Mars Society in the UK and Australia, and key backer of the Society’s Mars Analogue Research Station programme have announced a major new initiative to extend their space tourism activities through the development of a new spaceplane that will offer up to 6 passengers a 40-minute sub-orbital flight into space.
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MSA is pleased to announce a major achievement by David Willson, MSA member and director, and also manager of the Mars-Oz project, in his hobby of scratch building rocket engines. Along with several work colleagues, David successfully test fired the rocket engine four times at a location 30 minutes drive from Hobart in Tasmania.
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Registrations for the 5th Australian Mars Exploration Conference (AMEC V) or AMEC 2005 are now open. Full details are to be found by following our Events-AMEC 2005 link in the menu to the left. This looks like an exciting event, hope to see you there – Dave Cooper (Il Presidente).
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Two complementary Mars simulation projects have commenced at the Mar Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah to investigate the role of gender in an international Mars mission crew. Organised by alumni of the International Space University, the Leonardo project will be carried out by an international male team from April 15 to May 1, while the Mona Lisa project all-female crew will be in the MDRS from May 1 to 15 2005.
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The 12th Australian Mars Exploration Conference (AMEC) will be held in Canberra in 2012. While the venue and dates are to be confirmed, however expected to be at ANU in early November. Dr Jonathon Clarke and his team will be running this event, and welcome any assistance. Further details to follow.
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The Canadian Space Agency was one of the sponsors for Expedition Two, last August. A report on the 4 week exercise has been sent to the CSA. This report represents the efforts of Jon Clarke and Rocky Persuad, MSCanada and the AMEC 2004 crew, who successfully put together a large group of scientists and engineers working on putting a permanent human presence on Mars. This document may be modified from time to time.
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The board of the Mars Society Australia would like to welcome its new incoming President David Cooper. Based in Western Australia, David has served as MSA Vice-President since its incorporation in 2001, and is also the coordinator of the MS WA branch. Canberra based geologist and director Dr Jonathan Clarke has been elected the new Vice-President. Former President Guy Murphy has retired from the role after nearly 5 years as he will be spending time travelling and working overseas during 2005.
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AMEC V, the fifth Australian Mars Exploration Conference, will be held in Canberra on August 19-21, 2005. The conference will be in the Manning Clark Theatre complex and hosted by the Australian National Universitys School of Psychology. The theme, ‘Roving the Red Planet’ reflects the prime importance of mobility in the exploration of Mars, both now and in the future and MSAs ‘Year of the Rover’ focus. You are invited to prepare talks for the conference.
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Authored by David Willson and Jonathan Clarke, this newly released report consists of a feasibility study examining how modules the size and shape used in the MARS-OZ proposal are compatible with the technical requirements of an actual Mars mission. This report is in press with the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society. Copies of the manuscript can be obtained from .
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A report authored by Jonathan Clarke, Rocky Persaud and Shannon Rupert-Robles summarising the results of Expedition 2 is now available online here (pdf format). You can read more about the expedition at the Expedition 2 Homepage
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