Lecture: Mars Invasion

Have you or your kids ever wondered about Mars? Its ancient history of flowing water and calm seas? Or if humans will set foot on the Red Planet in your lifetime? What would they find? How do we know what’s out there?

In this special all-ages event, some of the world’s top Mars scientists and engineers will gather in Bellingham to share the revolution in scientific understanding of the Red Planet and preview NASA’s future Mars exploration missions.

Mars Invasion! The past, present, and future of NASA’s exploration at the Red Planet features Dr. Jim Bell, the lead scientist in charge of the next-generation camera system that will fly on NASA’s new Mars rover, which is scheduled to launch in 2020.

Western Washington University’s own Dr. Melissa Rice, assistant professor of planetary science and member of three NASA Mars rover missions, will engage a dynamic discussion of Mars scientists and engineers—as well as former NASA shuttle astronaut Captain Wendy Lawrence—on the future of human and robotic exploration of the Red Planet. The audience will have the ability to interact with the experts to ask questions about Mars and space exploration during a live Q&A.

Jim Bell is the author of multiple books and has participated in nearly every NASA mission to Mars since the 1990s. He also serves as the board president of the Planetary Society and is a professor of earth and space science at Arizona State University. In 2011 he received the Carl Sagan Medal for Excellence in Public Communication from the American Astronomical Society.

Don’t miss this riveting story of the modern revolution in humanity’s understanding of the Red Planet and NASA’s exciting plans to keep searching for the unknown.