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[PAST EVENT] Physics Colloquium
October 14, 2011
4pm
Abstract: Both the Bush (2004) and Obama (2010) administrations have identified human missions to Mars as a national goal of the United States. On September 14, 2011, after considerable discussion, debate and controversy, NASA announced plans to develop the new Space Launch System (SLS) to transport humans to Mars. In 2007, the NASA Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) formed a panel to consider the scientific goals and objectives for a human mission to Mars. The lecture will review the results of the MEPAG Panel on the scientific goals and objectives for human exploration, the unique role of humans on a mission to Mars and robotic precursor human missions, such as a Mars airplane mission to identify and survey the first human landing site on Mars.
In August 2011, after 41 years at the NASA Langley Research Center, Dr. Levine joined the Department of Applied Science as a Research Professor. Dr. Levine serves as the Co-Chair of the NASA MEPAG Panel on the human exploration and is co-editor and contributor to the recently published 976-page book, Human Missions to Mars: Colonizing the Red Planet.
In August 2011, after 41 years at the NASA Langley Research Center, Dr. Levine joined the Department of Applied Science as a Research Professor. Dr. Levine serves as the Co-Chair of the NASA MEPAG Panel on the human exploration and is co-editor and contributor to the recently published 976-page book, Human Missions to Mars: Colonizing the Red Planet.