This Mars exploration conference is the 29th annual convention organised by The Mars Society, continuing a series that began with the organisation’s founding convention in 1998. Its plenaries, technical tracks, panels and debates cover Mars science, mission systems, policy and settlement for researchers, engineers, students, entrepreneurs, policymakers and public advocates for human exploration.
About the 2026 Mars Society Convention
The 2026 International Mars Society Convention is a three-day meeting dedicated to the exploration and possible human settlement of Mars. It runs from 22 to 24 October at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center on the University of Southern California campus. The 29th edition combines plenary talks with parallel technical sessions, panels and debate, allowing scientific, engineering, policy and societal questions to be considered within one Mars-focused programme.
The published tracks move from planetary geology, climate and astrobiology to propulsion, life support, in-situ resource use, mission architecture and robotics. Other sessions address governance, economics, ethics, habitats and the social systems required for a lasting human presence. This breadth makes the convention different from a mission-specific engineering review or general commercial-space show: attendees can examine both near-term robotic exploration and the longer pathway toward crews and settlements. Researchers and advocates can submit abstracts through the official route, while general delegates register for the convention programme. The organisers publish schedule detail as contributions are finalised, so named sessions and timings should be checked on the live site rather than inferred from the high-level track descriptions.
Event history and organiser
The Mars Society has held annual conventions since its founding convention in 1998. The series was created as a meeting place for people approaching Mars from science, engineering, policy, economics, education and advocacy, and its archive records editions hosted in several United States cities as well as virtual programmes. The 2026 gathering is the 29th annual convention and returns to the University of Southern California, which has hosted recent and earlier editions. The Mars Society is the organiser and publishes the registration, abstract, programme and travel information. Its wider work includes public advocacy, analogue-research stations and educational activity, giving the convention a community role beyond presentation of papers alone. The continuing format brings technical specialists into conversation with people examining political or social barriers to Mars exploration. Edition-specific speaker numbers, fees and deadlines remain current-event facts; the event archive is used here only to establish the verified annual lineage.
Topics and themes
The convention treats Mars exploration as a connected scientific, technical and societal project. Its tracks follow the path from understanding the planet to sustaining people and institutions there.
- Mars science and astrobiology: geology, climate and the search for past or present life provide the evidence base for future exploration.
- Mission architecture and propulsion: transport, trajectory and system choices shape how robotic and human missions can reach and operate at Mars.
- Life support and local resources: habitats, closed-loop systems and in-situ resource utilisation address the practical challenge of sustained crews.
- Robotics and surface operations: current missions, autonomous systems and analogue work inform how equipment and people may explore safely.
- Policy, economics and settlement: governance, law, ethics and social design examine what a durable human presence would require beyond hardware.
Who should attend?
The convention is most relevant to planetary scientists, aerospace engineers, mission architects and researchers working directly on Mars or enabling systems. Life-support, robotics, propulsion, habitat and in-situ resource teams can compare technical approaches within a programme that also considers policy and settlement. Students and early-career contributors can submit abstracts, follow specialist tracks and meet a community extending beyond one institution or mission. Commercial-space leaders, policymakers, lawyers, economists and social researchers have a clear place where their work affects governance or sustained human presence. Educators, science communicators and Mars advocates can attend without being technical authors, although the programme is more focused than a general public festival. Prospective delegates should use the published tracks and developing schedule to decide whether their main interest is research, engineering, policy, advocacy or cross-disciplinary exchange.
View Mars Society Convention informationPractical information
The convention is at USC’s Ronald Tutor Campus Center in Los Angeles. The official venue guidance lists the campus address, nearby Metro access and approximate transfer distance from Los Angeles International Airport.
Registration and abstract submission use separate official routes. Confirm current ticket availability, student eligibility, presentation status, virtual-access information and the final daily schedule before making travel arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is the 2026 Mars Society Convention?
It runs from 22 to 24 October 2026 at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center on the University of Southern California campus in Los Angeles.
Which edition is the 2026 convention?
The Los Angeles meeting is the 29th annual International Mars Society Convention. The Society’s archive traces the series back to its founding convention in 1998.
What subjects does the convention cover?
Tracks cover Mars science, astrobiology, mission architecture, propulsion, life support, local resources, surface robotics, policy, law, economics, ethics and the design of future settlements.
Who should attend?
The audience includes Mars scientists, engineers, students, mission and commercial-space teams, policymakers, educators, social researchers and informed public advocates interested in exploration and settlement.
Can researchers present work?
Yes. The organiser publishes an abstract-submission route for research, engineering, policy and settlement contributions. Authors should confirm the current deadline, decision status and final talk or panel allocation.
Is remote participation available?
The Mars Society’s edition announcement describes both on-site and virtual participation. Confirm the current streaming, interaction, live session coverage and ticket arrangements on the official convention site before completing attendee registration.