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Foresight Institute Radio

Dr. Scott Hubbard | Exploring Mars: Following the Water

Season 1

Dr. Scott Hubbard has been a leader in space exploration for almost 50 years. His career includes a National Lab, a start-up venture, NASA, and Stanford. At NASA, Dr. Hubbard is best known as Director of NASA’s Ames Research Center, the first Mars Program Director (aka the "Mars Czar"), and the founder of NASA's Astrobiology Institute.


Key Highlights

  • Hubbard shared his deep passion for Mars and recounted his role in restructuring the Mars program.
  • He described Mars as the most Earthlike planet, highlighting its potential for past or present life evidence.
  • The exploration of Mars, as explained by Hubbard, focuses on life, climate, solid rock geology, and human exploration.
  • Emphasizing the mantra "follow the water," Hubbard underscored water's essential role in supporting all known life forms.
  • He pointed out the challenges posed by Mars' launch window, occurring every 26 months, which significantly impacts the mission's rocket science and budget.


Dive deeper into the session: Full Summary


About Foresight Institute

Foresight Institute is a research organization and non-profit that supports the beneficial development of high-impact technologies. Since our founding in 1987 on a vision of guiding powerful technologies, we have continued to evolve into a many-armed organization that focuses on several fields of science and technology that are too ambitious for legacy institutions to support.


Allison Duettmann

The President and CEO of Foresight Institute, Allison Duettmann directs the Intelligent Cooperation, Molecular Machines, Biotech & Health Extension, Neurotech, and Space Programs, alongside Fellowships, Prizes, and Tech Trees. She has also been pivotal in co-initiating the Longevity Prize, pioneering initiatives like Existentialhope.com, and contributing to notable works like "Superintelligence: Coordination & Strategy" and "Gaming the Future".


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