Over the past decade, seven spacecraft have enabled investigations of the habitability of past and present Mars, the climate and its evolution, geology, geophysics, geochemistry, as well as preparing for eventual visits by humans. Most recently, Spirit and Opportunity have returned data from the surface that point to a past very different from the cold arid Martian landscape that we see today. This data together with images from the Mars Global Surveyor and new observations from Mars Express indicating widespread sulfates salts may be the long sought evidence that Mars may once have been wet and, perhaps, habitable. The decade of NASA missions to Mars is part of a larger program of exploration of the planet -- planned by the science community, NASA and JPL -- that will extend at least through 2020. In this lecture we will discuss our current understanding of Mars relating to habitability and describe the direction NASA will take in the future exploration of the planet.

Light refreshments available 4pm; Presentation begins 4:15pm. Open to all.