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MarsFest 2013: Linking Extremes of Earth and Space
03.01-03.2013
 
A banner showing the Marsfest logo, a photo of Death Valley, an inset of the Curiosity Rover and logos of involved organizations.

March 1-3, 2013
Death Valley National Park

MarsFest 2013: Linking Extremes of Earth and Space is an annual planetary science festival for all ages and interest levels. NASA Ames, the SETI Institute, NASA Goddard, JPL and the National Park Service are excited to collaborate again this year to bring scientists, the public and national park enthusiasts to explore the fascinating research being done in these fields.

MarsFest will feature lectures; scientist-led field trips to analog sites such as Mars Hill, Badwater Basin and Ubehebe Volcanic Field; ranger talks/guided hikes for novice space explorers; and an Expo with information booths, demonstrations and kids' table. The Expo booths will include a mini-Curiosity rover, Mars Society's mini-rover and CheMin Terra demonstrations. The festival will culminate in a "Curiosity Hour" featuring scientists and engineers participating in the MSL Curiosity rover mission, and a panel discussion on the future of planetary exploration on society. Death Valley National Park boasts several Mars analog research sites within its boundaries and is excited to partnership with us to share this little known, but extremely important, use of our public lands.

The goal of MarsFest is to raise public awareness about planetary research taking place on Earth as well as celebrate the scientific endeavor of the Mars Science Laboratory mission. A suite of instruments, mounted on the Curiosity rover, is helping to determine if Mars can currently sustain or has ever supported life. Several of Curiosity's instruments and experiments were designed by Ames scientists who have also worked in Death Valley, and will be actively supporting the festival. MarsFest will offer insight into these excursions and about Curiosity's findings since landing on Mars in August 2012.

Click here to view a PDF of the event schedule.

More information can be found at http://www.seti.org/marsfest2013.

Contacts:

Dr. Rosalba Bonaccorsi
NASA Ames Research Center/ SETI Institute - Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe
rosalba.bonaccorsi-1@nasa.gov

Check out these related links:
  • SETI Institute Mars and the Mojave Festival 2012 website
  • NASA Ames Mars and the Mojave Festival 2012 website
  • Festival Focuses On Mars – Mojave Desert Similarities (Death Valley National Park)
  • NASA, Death Valley bring two worlds together (Pahrump Valley Times)
  • Death Valley National Park and NASA Host Mars and the Mojave Festival
  • Festival Focuses on Mars - Mojave Desert Similarities
  • First ever Mars and the Mojave Festival in Death Valley National Park
  • Image Gallery by robatzzyzx
  • Image Gallery by Overland Photography
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