The July 21–23 gathering at Rice University will bring together NASA officials, astronauts, scientists, inventors, and space industry leaders to discuss the next phase of lunar and Mars exploration
Artemis II gave a new generation the experience of watching humans travel to the Moon. Now we have to turn that renewed sense of possibility into a clear and responsible path forward.”— Dr. Tiffany Vora, President and Board Member of Explore MarsHOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, July 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Just three months after Artemis II took astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over fifty years, space community leaders will assemble in Houston to chart the course ahead. Explore Mars, Inc. is organizing the 2026 Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit, called H2M2, scheduled for July 21–23 at Rice University’s BioScience Research Collaborative. This marks the first time the Summit will be held in Houston, situating the national dialogue on lunar and Mars exploration at the doorstep of NASA’s Johnson Space Center and a premier hub for human spaceflight.
The three-day agenda highlights a major turning point in space exploration. Artemis II proved that humanity can again venture beyond low-Earth orbit. H2M2 2026 will zero in on the capabilities, collaborations, and choices necessary to create an enduring presence on the Moon, get ready for crewed missions to Mars, and turn technologies designed for harsh environments into practical benefits for Earth.
“This is an extraordinary moment for human exploration,” said Dr. Tiffany Vora, the new President and Board Member of Explore Mars. “Artemis II gave a new generation the experience of watching humans travel to the Moon. Now we have to turn that renewed sense of possibility into a clear and responsible path forward. This Summit brings together the people working on the systems, science, health, food, culture, and partnerships that will allow humans to flourish beyond Earth while creating practical advances that strengthen life here at home.”
The 2026 program will delve into the insights and opportunities arising from Artemis II, the construction of a lunar base, the Moon’s role in supporting Mars missions, the expansion of commercial space infrastructure, nuclear propulsion and power, logistics for the Moon and Mars, public-private partnerships, and the future of NASA science.
Considerable focus will also be placed on the human aspects of deep-space exploration. Sessions will cover astronaut physical and mental well-being, autonomous medical care, human-spaceflight analogs, food and nutrition, biological adaptation, humanities, and culture. A dedicated Mars Innovation Workshop will take on the problem of feeding a thriving Mars community to explore breakthroughs in food production, biomanufacturing, personalized nutrition, circular resource use, and resilient supply chains that have Earth-based applications.
“Reaching the Moon again was a historic achievement, and the challenge now is sustained execution,” said Chris Carberry, CEO and co-founder of Explore Mars. “Government, industry, universities, researchers, and international partners must align around an achievable architecture for the Moon and Mars. Houston is the right place for this conversation because it combines the legacy of human spaceflight with the commercial, scientific, and technical capabilities needed to build its future.”
The conference will showcase leaders in human spaceflight, science, and industry, including:
• Vanessa Wyche, Director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center
• Dr. Greg Bonnen, member of the Texas House of Representatives and Chair of the House Appropriations Committee[cc1.1]
• Kristin Houston, President of Space Propulsion and Power Systems at L3Harris
• Dr. James Green, former NASA Chief Scientist and former Director of Planetary Science
• Michael Gold, President of Redwire Space
• Dr. Leroy Chiao, former NASA astronaut and CEO of OneOrbit
• Dr. Bonnie Dunbar, NASA Astronaut, retired; Director | Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation
• Dr. Scott Parazynski, physician and former NASA astronaut
• Eddie Seyffert, Blue Origin| Director of Civil Space
• Dr. Shawna Pandya, physician and suborbital astronaut with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences
• Chris Coker, Intuitive Machines, Vice President, Civil Space Programs
• Aymette Medina, Blue Origin astronaut, NS-32
• Dr. Bruce Jakosky, founding principal investigator of NASA’s MAVEN Mars mission
• Ed Van Cise, acting Director of NASA’s Moon Base Mission and Systems Interoperability Office
• Audrey Morris-Eckart, Systems Architect in NASA’s Office of the Chief Architect
• Richard French, Vice President of Business Development and Strategy for Space Systems at Rocket Lab
• Humphrey “Hoppy” Price, Chief Engineer for NASA’s robotic Mars Exploration Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Michelle Frieling, Director of Human Health and Performance at NASA Johnson Space Center
• Dr. Grace Douglas, Lead Scientist for Advanced Food Technology at NASA Johnson Space Center
• Zack Rosenthal, Manager of Space Food Systems at Vast Space
• Dr. Scott Solomon, Rice University evolutionary biologist and author of Becoming Martian
• Dr. David Alexander, Director of the Rice Space Institute
• Dr. Robert Ambrose, Associate Director of the Texas A&M Space Institute
• Dr. Greg Autry, Senior Advisor for Space at the U.S. Department of State
• Megan E. Ortiz, Senior Director of External Relations at Axiom Space
The program will also feature leaders from L3Harris, Blue Origin, Intuitive Machines, Rocket Lab, MDA, Interlune, Volta Space Technologies, Advanced Space, Qwaltec, Axiom, Firefly Aerospace, Voyager Technologies, Amentum, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Astrobotic, the Translational Research Institute for Space Health, and The Planetary Society. Representative Brian Babin of Texas will deliver a welcome video to Summit attendees. Additional conversations will explore whether the United States must be first to return astronauts to the lunar surface, Texas’s role in the growing commercial aerospace economy, and how space exploration can foster international cooperation and optimism.
In-person registration remains open for the July 21–23 Summit at the BioScience Research Collaborative at Rice University in Houston. H2M2 2026 will also be accessible via an online broadcast, welcoming space professionals, students, educators, and the public worldwide. The 2025 Summit at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., drew nearly 11,000 online participants. Registration, the full agenda, speaker details, and online viewing options are available through the Explore Mars summit website at www.exploremars.org/summit/.
About Explore Mars, Inc.
Explore Mars, Inc. is a global nonprofit organization that brings together innovators, pathfinders, and policymakers to help establish a sustainable human presence on Mars. Through conferences, research, education, policy engagement, and collaborative programs, Explore Mars advances the scientific, technical, commercial, and human capabilities required to explore the Moon and Mars while promoting a peaceful, prosperous, and responsible future in space.
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