Strasbourg, France, February 17, 2012: In partnership with International Space University (ISU), Explore Mars, Inc. is presenting the International Space Station and Mars Conference at the Boeing Auditorium at the ISU Central Campus in Strasbourg, France on April 12-13, 2012.
This conference will discuss how ISS can be utilized to advance the goal of sending humans beyond Low Earth Orbit – specifically to Mars. “A lot of great concepts were discussed during our 2011 ISS and Mars programming,” stated Explore Mars Executive Director, Chris Carberry. “The Strasbourg conference will be a perfect venue to move these discussions forward and start developing a more comprehensive plan on how these concepts can be achieved.”
This conference will feature experts from the ISS international partnership, industry, planetary exploration, and other key players in the space community. Confirmed and tentative speakers include, Reinhold Ewald (ESA; astronaut), James Garvin (NASA), Berndt Feuerbacher (International Astronautical Federation), Walter Peeters (ISU), Franklin Chang Diaz (Ad Astra Rocket; former NASA astronaut), Michael Raftery (Boeing), Sam Scimemi (NASA), Michael Menking (Astrium), and many others.
In addition, Strasbourg was also chosen because it is the seat of the European Parliament and the conference will highlight the importance of space for advancing science and technology.
“Space has the potential to attract students to Science and Technology”, according to Explore Mars president, Artemis Westenberg, “and to encourage them to pick science and engineering for their work careers, something Europe as a whole can use very well to stay innovative and competitive in our ever more technological world.”
Topics will include,
- What have we learned and what are the challenges to human exploration of Mars?
- ISS as a research and test bed and analog platform for Mars.
- ISS as a research test bed for human factors of going beyond LEO.
-ISS as a technology development and operational platform for Mars and other destinations beyond.
- The ISS Partnership as a governance model for international human missions beyond LEO and eventually to Mars.
- What projects can be launched in the next 2-5 years?
According to Dr. Chris Welch, ISU Masters Programs Director: “The ISS and Mars project is exactly the sort of innovative and forward-thinking activity that ISU exists to support and promote. ISU is, therefore, extremely pleased to be partnering with Explore Mars to bring the ISS and Mars conference to Europe and looks forward to welcoming participants to Strasbourg in April 2012.”
On 12 April the ISS and Mars Conference in Strasbourg will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of International Space University as well as “Yuri’s Night,” the annual international celebration marking the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic flight into space and ESA Director General, Jean-Jacques Dordain has tentatively agreed to speak at this reception.
To register for ISS Mars-Europe, please visit the conference registration site at:
www.issmars-europe.eventbrite.com
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