Surviving Mars, the Discovery Channel’s two-hour documentary about the Mars Society’s program to build and operate the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island aired on the evening of Wednesday Nov. 7th. By all accounts, the show was a knockout. Despite being in competition with the Country Music awards and the popular “West Wing” drama, the program garnered over 2 percent of the American TV viewing audience in its first broadcast. That means it was seen by several million people. Additional millions saw the program when it was rebroadcast on the morning of Saturday Nov. 10. More broadcasts are expected; those who missed it should check TV listings (where it is sometimes entitled “Mars on Earth.). It is also expected to be produced and marketed by the Discovery Channel as a home video.