Benjamin Dean Astronomy Lectures

The Future Human Exploration of Mars

Mon Jul 1 at 7:30 pm - Planetarium
This painting by Pascal Lee depicts a future exploratory base on Mars.
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Public: $15 Members and seniors: $12

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The Future Human Exploration of Mars
Monday, July 1, 2024
7:30 pm, Morrison Planetarium

Featuring Dr. Pascal Lee, Mars Institute, SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center 

The first human mission to Mars will be humanity’s greatest adventure in space exploration this century. As with all expeditions, its success depends on planning. The first steps are already under way, as we build more efficient rockets, achieve longer space flights, plan our return to the Moon, and work in extreme environments on Earth viewed as Mars “analogs.”

Dr. Lee will present the progress being made around the world, from the Arctic to Antarctica, from basement labs to the International Space Station and the Artemis Program, to achieve the first human voyage to Mars, examining in turn the what, why, how, where, when, and who of the first human mission to Mars.

Pascal Lee is leading expert on planning the future human exploration of Mars.

Pascal Lee is a planetary scientist with the Mars Institute, the SETI Institute, and NASA Ames Research Center. He is director of the NASA Haughton-Mars Project, the leading Mars field research project in the Arctic, and also professor of planetary science at Kepler Space University. His research focuses on water, ice, caves, and the search for life on Mars, and on planning the future human exploration of Mars. He has led over 40 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica to study Mars by comparison with the Earth.

Dr. Lee studied physics and geology at the University of Paris-Sorbonne, and got his PhD in astronomy and space sciences at Cornell University where he was Carl Sagan’s last T.A. He is a recipient of the United States Antarctica Service Medal, the National Space Society Space Pioneer Award for Science and Engineering, the Space Frontier Foundation’s Vision to Reality Award, and the Sagan Prize for the Popularization of Science.

In his free time, he likes to be walked by his dog Apollo, fly, and paint. He is an FAA-certified helicopter commercial pilot and flight instructor. His oil paintings on Mars exploration and spacetime travel are in collections worldwide.

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