The Mars Society is the world’s largest and most influential space advocacy organization dedicated to the human exploration and settlement of the planet Mars. Established by Dr. Robert Zubrin and others in 1998, the group works to educate the public, the media and the government on the benefits of exploring Mars and creating a permanent human presence on the Red Planet.

In order to accomplish this, the organization actively seeks to:

1. Organize public outreach with the aim of fostering a deep interest in Mars,
2. Promote broad international support for government-funded Mars research and exploration, and
3. Advocate the establishment of commercial space ventures that will help achieve Mars exploration and settlement.
4. Promote creation of additional chapters of the Mars Society under their corporate charter.

Society activities include Mars analog simulations in the Utah desert and the Canadian Arctic, public outreach and educational programs such as the MarsVR virtual reality simulations, the annual University Rover Challenge, political advocacy efforts, privately-funded research, chapter meetings and activities in the U.S. and around the world, and the annual International Mars Society Convention.