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Visions of Mars Landing May 25.
 

Projects: Messages from Earth

Press Room

Media contact:
Susan Lendroth
susan.lendroth@planetary.org
(626) 793-5100

To find out about other Planetary Society projects and initiatives go to our Media Center.


 

Recent Messages From earth Press Releases:

July 30, 2007: The Planetary Society Library for Mars Ready for Launch
Pasadena -- The Planetary Society's silica-glass DVD is ready to launch to Mars on board Phoenix, NASA's newest Scout mission led by Principal Investigator Peter Smith at the University of Arizona. Attached to the deck of the Phoenix lander, the DVD includes Visions of Mars, a collection of 19th and 20th century stories, essays and art inspired by the Red Planet, as well as the names of over a quarter million inhabitants of Earth.

Images:

Phoenix DVD
The Phoenix DVD: This mini-DVD made of silica glass is set to launch on its way to Mars on the spacecraft Phoenix in August 2007. It is encoded with <<Visions of Mars>>, a collection of scientific and science-fiction texts about Mars, depictions of Mars in art, and messages to future settlers of Mars. Also included are 250,000 names of Planetary Society members and others who signed up to send their name to Mars.
Credit: The Planetary Society

Carl Sagan




Carl Sagan (1934-1996)
Credit: The Planetary Society


DVD Installed on Phoenix Spacecraft


DVD Installed on Phoenix Spacecraft
Billy Jones of Lockheed Martin installs the Phoenix DVD containing Visions of Mars on the Phoenix. Credit: KUAT-TV, University of Arizona
Billy Jones of Lockheed Martin installs the Phoenix DVD on the spacecraft


Billy Jones of Lockheed Martin installs the Phoenix DVD on the spacecraft

Credit: KUAT-TV, University of Arizona
The Phoenix DVD

The Phoenix DVD

Billy Jones of Lockheed Martin holds the Phoenix DVD in his hand, prior to installing it on the spacecraft.
Credit: KUAT-TV, University of Arizona

 

A sampling of art work included in Visions of Mars:


Arrival in Mars orbit
Arrival in Mars orbit, by Chesley Bonestell
In orbit above Mars, winged landing craft are detached from an interplanetary spacecraft. The one at the right is decelerating as it enters the martian atmosphere. The image is included in the Visions of Mars DVD.
Credit: (c) Bonestell Space Art, http://www.bonestell.org
Mars is seen from its outer moon, Deimos.


Mars is seen from its outer moon, Deimos, by Don Davis.

The image is included in the Visions of Mars DVD.
Credit: (c) Don Davis, http://donaldedavis.com
East Meets West (and goes to Mars)
East Meets West (and goes to Mars), by Jon Lomberg
The Capitol Building of the United States of America and St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, symbolizing their respective nations, dock in orbit around the Earth. The planet Mars is seen just beneath the point where the two buikldings link. A joint effort to explore Mars is a worthy goal of international collaboration between the two great spacefaring powers of Earth.
Credit: (c) Jon Lomberg, http://jonlomberg.com
Mars from Base on Phobos

Mars from Base on Phobos, by David A. Hardy
The Red Planet has a mantle of blue and green in David Hardy's image of a far future Mars where clouds swirl through an atmosphere dense enough for water to flow. The image is included in the Visions of Mars DVD.
Credit: (c) David A. Hardy, http://www.hardyart.demon.co.uk
A Russian Rover on Mars

A Russian Rover on Mars, by Michael Carroll

A robot exploration vehicle, controlled by operators on Earth, explores the gentle slopes of Olympus. The image is included in the Visions of Mars DVD.
Credit: (c) Michael Carroll, http://stock-space-images.com

Red Mars




Red Mars, by Don Dixon

The cover for the first novel in Kim Stanley Robinson's science fiction trilogy about the terraforming of Mars.
Credit: (c) Don Dixon, http://cosmographica.com
Mars Dust Devils, by Ron Miller


Mars Dust Devils, by Ron Miller

Credit: (c) Ron Miller, http://www.black-cat-studios.com

 

More Messages From earth Press Releases:

December 1, 2006 Fly Wishes to the Moon with Japan's SELENE Mission
The Planetary Society Co-sponsors Campaign
2007 Will Launch a New Era of International Space Exploration

Pasadena, CA, —The Planetary Society, in conjunction with The Planetary Society of Japan and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), invites the world to participate in the "Wish Upon the Moon" campaign to send names and messages to Earth's Moon on Japan's SELENE mission. Adults and children alike can submit names and brief good wishes for inclusion on the spacecraft. Read more »

October 30, 2006 Fly Your Name on NASA's Phoenix Mission to Mars
The Planetary Society Will Send a Message from Earth and Visions of Mars

Pasadena, CA, —One day, humans will land on Mars, and when they do, a message will be waiting for them.

In 2007, The Planetary Society will send a specialized silica-glass DVD to Mars aboard Phoenix, NASA's newest Scout mission, led by Principal Investigator Peter Smith at the University of Arizona. The disk, which is attached to the deck of the Phoenix lander, will include "Visions of Mars," a collection of 19th and 20th century stories, essays, and art inspired by the Red Planet. The disk also includes special features, such as the famous 1938 radio broadcast of HG Wells' classic, "War of the Worlds." Read more »

June 16, 2005 Cosmos 1 Solar Sail Will Carry CD into Orbit

Pasadena, CA, — When Cosmos 1, the first solar sail spacecraft, launches on June 21, 2005, it will carry into Earth orbit a CD containing the names of over 75,000 members of The Planetary Society and the Japan Planetary Society, along with the works of early visionaries who inspired solar sailing. Read more »

June 11, 2002 Planetary Society of Japan Will Send Names to Asteroid

Pasadena, CA, — The Planetary Society of Japan (TPS/J) has launched a worldwide campaign to deliver several hundred thousand names to an asteroid on MUSES-C, the first sample return mission to an asteroid. Those interested in sending their names must hurry - the deadline for submissions is July 5, 2002. TPS/J is affiliated with The Planetary Society. Read more »