Media Release

Humans on Mars within a decade

A NASA consultant and the author of a controversial plan to send humans to Mars within 10 years will give a free public lecture at Adelaide University on Wednesday, March 15.

US astronautics expert American Dr Robert Zubrin will deliver the lecture titled "Mars Direct: Humans to the Red Planet" from 7.30pm at Bonython Hall.

The lecture will be introduced by Paul Davies, who is currently Visiting Professor of Physics at Imperial College in London.

Dr Zubrin was the head of a small team which drew up the daring plan known as "Mars Direct", which would send astronauts to the Red Planet not only within 10 years, but at a much lower cost than estimated by NASA.

The plan has attracted international attention and controversy, with Dr Zubrin presenting it to the International Astronautical Federation congress, and to US bodies and officials.

Dr Zubrin's lecture is part of a contribution to the Adelaide Festival by the Australian Institute of Physics and Adelaide University's Centre for Biomedical Engineering.