The latest pictures of Saturn may have enthralled many amateur astronomers around the world, but there’s one group that has its sights set on a different planet. The Mars Society of Australia is part of a worldwide network of space exploration enthusiasts dedicated to furthering our chances of one day walking on the Red Planet. The society is holding its 4th annual Australian Mars Exploration Conference, AMEC 2004, in Adelaide this weekend, attracting scientists from around the country and indeed from around the world. The Director of the Mars Society of Australia is Dr Jonathan Clarke, and he told Nance Haxton that Australia is playing a significant role in planning for the first Mars expedition.