NEWS RELEASE:
NATIONAL SPACE SOCIETY HAILS MARS AS DESTINATION FOR HUMANS
On The Eve Of International Mars Conference, NSS Reaffirms Its Committment To Human Exploration Of Mars

(Washington, DC) -- August 12 -- As hundreds of international scientists, activists, and enthusiasts arrive in Boulder, Colorado, for the founding conference of the Mars Society, the National Space Society (NSS) issued the following statement:

"Human exploration of Mars has been a focus of the National Space Society, since our founding 25 years ago," said NSS Executive Director Pat Dasch. "Our members have been active in discussing policy and plans for Mars expeditions and we view the Mars Society conference as a forum to focus the current debate. The NSS is proud to be a co-sponsor of the founding convention of the Mars Society and looks forward to sharing the proceedings with our members and supporters.

NASA has identified a comprehensive decade-long Mars exploration program with an ultimate, if distant goal, of sending humans to Mars. NSS is very concerned that NASA's Mars exploration program could be compromised by budget reductions as the space agency struggles with assembly of the International Space Station and a shrinking budget. The NSS, the Mars Society, and others have worked recently to restore the Mars 2001 lander to its original design and purpose and we continue to work vigorously to keep the Mars exploration program on track."