Stunning views of Mars as some future planetary hiker might see the Red Planet have been produced and posted at Planete Mars — the French chapter of the Mars Society. The collaborative efforts of Adrian Lark (3D-Planet, Great Britain) and Olivier de Goursac (Association Planete Mars public outreach manager) transformed data supplied by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument flying aboard the Mars Global Surveyor into some breathtaking scenes of Valles Marineris as seen from ground level.

The opening of a new exhibition in Canberra on the search for the origin of life across the solar system has focused attention on Australian involvement in future human exploration of Mars, said Mars Society Australia President Guy Murphy yesterday. To Mars and Beyond: Search for the Origins of Life opens at the National Museum of Australia on 13 December 2001 and continues until 26 May 2002. This exhibition features everything from astronaut Andy Thomas’ spacesuit to a piece of Mars rock, and visitors can even travel to Mars and across its red surface in a 3D virtual reality theatre styled to mimic the interior of a spaceship. Mars Society Australia even aims to showcase its prototype Mars rover vehicle named HOP in the exhibition during 2002.

Construction has begun of the Mars Desert Research Station. Led by Frank Schubert and Anna Paulson, a group of Mars Society volunteers began work on the station on December 6, achieving rapid progress. On December 10, Anna filed the following report with Mars Society headquarters: “Construction is going fantastically, it went up very fast with no problems, today the framing of the interior starts. Got lots of pics,

The Mars Desert Research Station program received an important boost this week with the decision by the Greenleaf Corporation to become a sponsor. Greenleaf is donating $25,000, and accordingly, will have its company logo prominently displayed on the side of the station. Commenting on the donation, Mars Society president Robert Zubrin said; “I’m really proud to have Greenleaf as a sponsor of our program. Makers of precision cutting implements for machine tools, they are exemplary of the kind of high quality industry that enabled America to reach the Moon and will make it possible for us to send humans to Mars. I hope that everyone who is in the market for their type of goods takes the trouble to check them out, because their products are top notch and their generosity and vision in supporting the Mars Society should not go unrewarded.”

On December 8th, Mars Society leaders Chris McKay and Robert Zubrin gave plenary addresses to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) conference in Paris devoted to mapping a vision for space exploration in the 21st century. Other speakers at the conference included Sir Arthur Clarke (who appeared via video), Hubert Reeves (an astrophysicist and widely published author sometimes called “the Carl Sagan of France”), SETI pioneer Jill Tarter, and David Southwood, the Director of Science for the European Space Agency. The inclusion of McKay and Zubrin in this distinguished company reflects the growing influence of the Mars Society as recognized spokesmen for the vision of human exploration and settlement of space.

The Mars Society will be sending out our annual fundraising drive letter to all members this week. With two active stations, sponsored research at several universities and increased outreach opportunities, our operating costs are substantial. As you know, we are funded strictly through private donations so please put The Mars Society on your holiday gift giving list this year. Mr. Robert Aronsson of Apollo Energy Systems has generously offered to match your donation of up to $1000, so please honor his generosity with your own. This year, to show how greatly your gifts are appreciated, we will offer a premium package: Donations of $100 or more will receive an autographed copy of one of Dr. Robert Zubrin’s three books, The Case for Mars, Entering Space or First Landing. Donations of $1000 or more will entitle the donor to a lifetime membership in The Mars Society.

This year we will send close to 100 crewmembers to our Utah and Devon Island research stations. With a full twelve-month operating season between the two bases, the cost of deployment and crew support increases substantially. In order to accommodate as many crewmember volunteers as possible, we are seeking direct sponsorship of crewmembers.

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.

On the weekend of October 26-28, about 100 people attended the third annual MarsWeek conference, which is held every fall at the MIT campus in Cambridge MA. This year’s conference focused on past, present and future Mars Society projects. Several participants in the Devon Island station described their experiences, and concepts for research at the new Utah station were presented. The new Mars Gravity initiative took center stage, with discussion among design team members from several universities, including MIT, Embry-Riddle and CalTech. Jim Benson, CEO of SpaceDev, discussed the process of developing commercial interest in space exploration. Workshops explored a wide range of cultural, scientific and engineering issues related to the exploration of Mars.

Australia is one step closer to having its own outback space research facility, to be used for testing equipment and technology which could help to send humans to Mars. A group of Australian and international scientists and engineers have now returned to Adelaide after two weeks in the Red Centre, and have identified three sites for the conduct of this research, with the most favourable location identified as the Arkaroola region in the Northern Flinders Ranges. The other areas with strong potential for future Mars analogue research are Arkaringa near Coober Pedy and the Woomera region. The first Project Jarntimarra expedition, organized by Mars Society Australia, was an outstanding success, said President Guy Murphy.