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EDITORIAL INFORMATION

These volumes provide a blueprint for manned missions to Mars and a continued presence on the planet's surface, including what technology is required, and what kinds of precursor misions and experiments are required for this undertaking. Papers which do not appear in full are published as abstracts. These proceedings are based on updated papers which were originally presented at the fourth Case of Mars conference, "The International Exploration of Mars", held June 4-8, 1990 in Boulder. Colorado.

(Extracted from the press release).

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-Contents.

-Foreword. Thomas R. Meyer.

-Mars Overview Meeting Summary.

-Prologue.

-Part I: MAKING THE INTERNATIONAL CASE FOR MARS.

-1- Space Policy.
-2- International Cooperation/International Science Objectives.

-Part II: MISSION STRATEGY.

-3- Philosophy.
-4- Planning.
-5- Architectures, Infrastructure and Engineering.

-Part III: TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR GETTING TO MARS.

-6- Robotic and Precursor Missions.
-7- Transportation Systems and Spacecraft.
-8- Advanced Propulsion.

-APPENDIX.

-Publications of the American Astronautical Society.

-INDEX.

-Numerical Index.
-Author Index.

OUR REVIEW

The Case for Mars is probably one of the most massive efforts to advance in the definition of the adequate frame so that some day exploring and colonizing the Red Planet becomes possible.

The lectures, held every so often, mean the introduction and circulation of uncountable, innovative ideas in all imaginable fields, from astrodynamics to budgets to space politics.

In this case, The Case for Mars IV contains the lectures presented between June 4 and 8, 1990, at Boulder, Colorado, of which a certain amount are included in this volume 89 of the series Science and Technology (Mission Strategy and Architectures), and the rest are included in volume 90 (Considerations for Sending Humans).

Thus, volume 89, the one now we are dealing with now, contains eight chapters in all, covering all conceivable aspects of the future manned mission to Mars. Space politics, international cooperation, plans, infrastructures, predecessor missions, transports and advanced propulsion systems, are treated in depth by the best experts and specialists. Among those who have contributed we can find such important people as Thomas O. Paine, James Oberg, Louis Freeman, Robert Zubrin, Buzz Aldrin, etc.

The compilation, published by Thomas R. Meyer, transpires enthusiasm, despite the fact that its contents do not as yet reflect the renewed interest that science feels now towards Mars, after the recent launching of several exploratory probes as well as the discovery of a possible former life in a fragment of an asteroid coming from the planet.