News

Australia’s $150m investment in space industries – September 2019

Mars Society Australia Media Statement at the 19th Australian Space Research Conference: 30th September2019:

The Australian Federal Government’s recent $150m partnering with NASA signals an investment that all Australians will benefit from.
 

“We’re excited at the recent announcement by the Federal Government of the $150m partnering with NASA for involvement in the Artemis program for Lunar exploration and missions and travel to Mars. Some of the greatest Australians have been explorers and this funding helps pass baton to the next generation wanting to push into the unknown.” Said Dr. Jon Clarke, Mars Society Australia President

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DAVID COOPER MEMORIAL LECTURE 2019 - A/Prof. Gordon Cable AM on “The Gravity of Mars Exploration”

This free event is part of the 19th Australian Space Research Conference (ASRC) program and is organised by Mars Society Australia and supported by the Adelaide chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the ASRC.

SUMMARY

Plans for the exploration of deep space will see humans travel deeper into space and for longer periods than at any time in human history. This new era of space and planetary exploration will expose humans to hazards not experienced since the Apollo program of the 1960s and 70s, but magnified by greater distance and much longer exposures. Human missions to Mars will expose the crews to hazards such as isolation and confinement, distance from Earth, hostile and closed environments, radiation, and of course altered gravity fields.  While countermeasures can be identified for many of these challenges, some of the problems of microgravity remain unsolved.  This presentation will describe the impacts of microgravity on human...

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Expedition Boomerang

The Mars Society Australia is pleased to announce Expedition Boomerang, the first all-Australian mission to the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. (See https://marssociety.org.au/boomerang) It will comprise two fortnightly crew rotations, Crew 214 (October 26 - November 8, 2019) and Crew 215 (November 9 - November 24, 2019) undertaken in full simulation conditions.

While a full crew allocation has been undertaken, there may be opportunities for several further suitably qualified additional Australian crew members to join the mission. Contact Guy Murphy for further information guymurphy(at)gmail.com

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NASA Meets the Pilbara for the Mars 2020 Mission

Is there life on Mars? Does the key to discovering life on Mars lie in the ancient rocks found in Western Australia’s Pilbara region?

As part of National Science Week, a panel of leading scientists and astrophysicists including NASA Mars 2020 rover mission program scientist Mitch Schulte, Paul Davies from Arizona State University and the University of NSW’s Martin Van Kranendonk come together to discuss the potential for ‘Life on Mars’ at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre on 15 August.

The scientific significance of the 3.5 billion year-old fossil stromatolites found in Western Australia’s north will be brought into focus as this panel of experts discuss the origin of life on earth, the search for evidence of life on Mars, and preparing to live on the red planet.

“NASA is in the early stages of preparing to send the first astronauts to Mars,” says Professor Martin Van Kranendonk from UNSW.

“In 2020 the robotic mission will be searching for signs...

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Methane on Mars – June 2019

Mars Society Australia Media Statement: 23rd June 2019

NASA’s announcement about further discoveries of methane on Mars hints at the possibility of past or present life on Mars, but more investigation is needed.

 

“The new results on methane gas in the Martian atmosphere are the latest instalment in a scientific quest doing back almost 15 years.” Said Dr. Jon Clarke, Mars Society Australia President.

“Methane gas on Earth is often the result of biological processes. It’s been detected on Mars by ground-based telescopes, the Mars Express spacecraft in orbit round Mars, and the Curiosity rover on the surface.”

But successful observations have often been...

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Call for nominations for MSA Board


The Mars Society Australia (MSA) is calling for nominations for directors. Directors are appointed for a initial term of two years and half the board is elected every year.

MSA is an organisation of like-minded people that provides educational and public outreach, engineering projects and scientific research related to the planet Mars.  You can read more about the MSA here:

https://marssociety.org.au/about 

Our board of directors help run day to day operations as well as strategically plan and mange the society's endeavours.

If have an interest in Mars and would like to contribute to the MSA, please consider nominating as a director.  While professional experience in business and science is highly regarded, formal qualifications are not required. The MSA's board is typically made up of people with differing professional experience and interest who share one thing - a passion to better our...

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Dr Shannon Rupert Visiting Australia

The director of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) Dr Shannon Rupert is visiting Australia as a guest of MSA.  Shannon is an ecologist with two decades of experience in Mars Analog studies. Formerly a professor of biology and environmental science, she is an expert in planetary mission simulations and field exploration.  Shannon will be speaking in Melbourne at 6:30pm on the 14th March (register on Eventbrite) and Adelaide in conjunction with the AIAA at 6pm on...

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MSA South Australia Event

Sunday 2nd December 2018 at 6 pm End of year celebration BBQ followed by a free presentation 'End of Year Mars Highlights' by Assocaite Professor Victor Gostin

Featuring current asteroid impacts, lava tunnels and caves, wide seas with shorelines, complex carbon molecules, methane from somewhere?  And do include lichens for your space trip!

WHERE: Nova Systems, 27-31 London Road, Mile End South  SA  5031

WHEN:   Sunday 6:00PM - 8:00PM

Please RSVP essential for catering purposes - BBQ optional - see details below

For our end of year break up feel free to Dress up, Dress down, Dress for Space, Fun or just come as you are…BBQ is optional
o   Cost: $10 to cover meat/ alternative and salads (please let us know if you prefer vegetarian, vegan or have special dietary requirements)
o    For catering purpose RSVP required for those wishing to join the BBQ
o   BYO drinks. If you would like bring a dessert or treat to share

To book or for...

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Countdown to InSight Mission Landing

It is now less than 12 hours until NASA's InSight MIssion lands on the surface of Mars at Elysium Planitia.  Launched on the 5 May, 2018, the lander will enter the Martian atmosphere at approximately 7am Eastern Australian time.   A focus of the mission will be investigating the subsurface structure of the planet.  You can read more about the mission including the mission timelines, landing site, scientific goals and instrumentation on the NASA Insight MIssion Homepage.  A former Melbournian, engineer Mark Fittock helped develop some of the intruments

Commenting on the mission's goals,...

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18th Australian Space Research Conference - special rates for MSA members!

18th Australian Space Research Conference

September 24 to 26, 2018

 

The 18th Australian Space Research Conference (ASRC), will be held at Gold Coast in Queensland over September 24 to 26, 2018.

This will be the Twelfth ASRC jointly sponsored and organised by the National Committee for Space and Radio Science (NCSRS) and the National Space Society of Australia (NSSA), with the support of the Mars Society of Australia (MSA).

The ASRC is intended to be the primary annual meeting for Australian space research. It welcomes space scientists, engineers, educators, and workers from across the university, industry and government parts of the space sector, and is not limited to Australian-based research, International participants are most welcome.

The scope of the conference includes fundamental and applied research, operational matters, technology, and use of space...

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