Mars 2030

Today while I work, I’m listening in on the Explore Mars conference. I got a bit of a late start with it, so I’m not listening live, but I’m loving the talks. Thoughts of going to Mars make me dream, they make my imagination run wild, they inspire me. The conference is going on for the next few days, May 5th through the 7th. 

Watch and follow along at this link.  They are archiving the various talks here as well, so if you’ve missed speakers, you can go back and listen!

The conference agenda:

May 5, 2015

8:45-9:00 | Welcome/Acknowledgements/etc.

• Artemis Westenberg (Explore Mars) and Chris Carberry (Explore Mars)

9:00-9:30 | Opening Plenary

• Charles Bolden (NASA Administrator)

9:30-10:00 | The Year in Review: A Window of Opportunity

• Scott Hubbard (Stanford University; former Director of NASA Mars Exploration Program)

10:00-10:55 | Leadership Panel

• Moderator – Kent Rominger (Orbital ATK; VP, Strategy and Business Development: Astronaut)
• William Gerstenmaier (NASA Assoc. Administrator, Administrator, Human Exploration and Mission Directorate)
• John Grunsfeld (NASA Assoc. Administrator, Science Mission Directorate)
• Steve Jurczyk (NASA Assoc. Administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate)

11:15-12:00 | The Extraordinary Science of Mars

• Moderator – James Garvin (NASA Chief Scientist, Goddard Space Flight Center)
• Pamela Conrad (NASA GSFC, Deputy PI on MSL/Curiosity SAM investigation)
• Jennifer Eigenbrode (NASA GSFC, Astrobiologist)
• Danny Glavin (NASA GSFC, Astrochemist)

12:00-12:30 | The Martian

• Interviewer Marc Kaufman (Author, Mars Up Close; National Geographic)
• Andrew Weir (Author of The Martian) – via Skype

2:00-2:20 | The ‘AWE’ of Mars – Inspiring the Future

• Janet Ivey (Janet’s Planet)

2:20-2:50 | How will we go to Mars?

• Bret Drake (NASA JSC)

2:50-3:20 | Why Mars?

• James Green (NASA Director, Planetary Sciences)

3:20-3:35 | ExoLance: Search for Life Below the Martian Surface

• Joe Cassady (Aerojet Rocketdyne Executive Director, Space, Washington, D.C. Office)

3:55-4:15 | Time Capsule to Mars

• Emily Briere (Time Capsule to Mars; Student)

4:15-4:45 | The Technology of Mars

• James Reuther (NASA: Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs, STMD)

4:45-5:05 | Protecting Mars and Earth

• Cassie Conley (NASA: Planetary Protection Officer)

5:05-5:25 | Senator Bill Nelson, Florida

5:30-7:00 | Onsite Reception

7:00-9:00 | A Conversation with Buzz Aldrin (Apollo XI, Gemini XII) Moderated by Andrew Aldrin

May 6, 2015

8:30-9:30 | Morning Keynote: Affordable Human Missions to Mars

• Firouz Naderi (Director, Solar System Exploration Directorate, JPL)

9:30-10:30 | Affordability and Sustainability: Challenges and Opportunities

• Moderator – Jason Crusan (Director, Advanced Exploration Systems Division, HEMOD, NASA HQ)
• Olivier de Weck (Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Engineering Systems, MIT)
• Brand Griffin (Senior Aerospace Engineer, NASA MSFC)
• Kandyce Goodliff (Senior Aerospace Engineer, NASA LaRC)

10:40-12:00 | Mars Science: The 2020s and Enabled by Astronauts in the 2030s

• Moderator – Jim Watzin (NASA Director, Mars Exploration Program, NASA HQ)
• Charles Whetsel (Manager, Formulation Office, Mars Exploration Directorate, JPL)
• Melissa Trainer (Research Planetary Scientist, NASA GSFC)
• Michael Hecht (Assistant Director, Haystack Observatory, MIT)
• Ben Bussey (Chief Exploration Scientist, NASA HQ HEOMD)

12:00-2:00 | Speaker Luncheon, The City View Room – Greg Olsen (Private Astronaut; President, GHO Ventures)

Afternoon | Parallel Technical Panels

Session One

2:00-3:30 | In-Space Propulsion

• Moderator – Les Johnson (Deputy Manager, Advanced Concepts Office, NASA MSFC)
• Mark Carter (Director of Technology, Ad Astra)
• Andrew Petro (Program Executive, Small Spacecraft Technology, NASA HQ STMD)
• Roger Myers (Executive Director of Advanced In-Space Programs, Aerojet Rocketdyne)
• Michael Houts (Nuclear Research Manager, NASA MSFC)

3:30-5:15 | Entry, Descent, and Landing for the 2020s and Beyond

• Moderator – Andrew Keyes (Center Chief Technologist, NASA MSFC)
• Adam Steltzner (Chief Engineer, MSL Entry, Descent, and Landing, JPL)
• Jon Olansen (Manager, MORPHEUS Project, NASA JSC)
• Michelle Munk (Principal Investigator for EDL, NASA LaRC)
• Mark Adler (Mars Exploration Program Architect, JPL)
• Josh Brost (Account Manager, SpaceX)

Session Two

2:00-3:30 | Stepping Stones (I): ISS and Beyond

• Moderator – Sam Scimemi (ISS Director, NASA HQ HEOMD)
• Robyn Gatens (Acting Deputy Director, ISS Program, NASA HQ HEOMD)
• Robert Richards (Vice-President, Human Spaceflight Systems, Orbital ATK)
• Michael Gold (Director of DC Operations, Bigelow Aerospace)
• Bill Paloski (Manager HRP, NASA JSC)

3:30-5:15 | Stepping Stones (II): ISS and Beyond

• Moderator – Skip Hatfield (ISS Development Projects Office, NASA JSC)
• David Smitherman (Technical Manager, Advanced Concepts Office, NASA MSFC)
• Matthew Duggan (Space Systems Manager, Boeing Company)
• Josh Hopkins (Space Exploration Architect, Lockheed Martin)

6:00-8:00 | SunTrust Building Reception with tastings from Ardbeg Scotch Space Enthusiasts

May 7, 2015

9:00-10:00 | From Sci-Fi to Reality

• Moderator – Catherine Asaro (Science Fiction Author; Sigma Member)
• Geoffrey Landis (NASA; Science Fiction Author; Sigma Member)
• Charles Gannon (Science Fiction Author; Sigma Member)
• Bud Sparhawk (Science Fiction Author; Sigma Member)
• Tom Ligon (Science Fiction Author; Sigma Member)

10:00-11:00 | Inspiring Support – Public Engagement

• Moderator – Janet Ivey (Janet’s Planet)
• Susan Poulton (President, Door 44 Digital; former VP, National Geographic)
• Larissa Schelkin (Global STEM Initiative)
• Don Thomas (Astronaut STS-70; Author)
• Jancy McPhee (NASA, Humans in Space Arts Program & Youth Arts Competition)
• Stephen Pakbaz (Orbital ATK; Mars Lego Engineer)

11:20-12:20 | Political Roundtable – Building Political Sustainability

• Moderator – Ann Zulkosky (Director, NASA Programs, Washington Operations, LMCO; former Senate staffer)
• Ben Roberts (Senior Policy Advisor for Space, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy)
• Tom Cremins (Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Strategy and Policy Implementation, NASA)
• N. Wayne Hale, Jr. (Director of Human Spaceflight, Special Aerospace Services, LLC)
• Lynda L. Weatherman (President & CEO, Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast)

12:20-1:00 | Where Do We Go From Here?