One vision.

One mission.

A sustainable human future on the Moon and Mars.

“2026 could be the most critical year in the history of the United States space program,” stated Explore Mars CEO, Chris Carberry.

“In addition to the launch of Artemis II to the Moon, decisions will need to be made that could determine whether we achieve our Moon and Mars objectives, and if the United States remains the preeminent leader in space exploration. These topics and many more will be discussed at H2M2 in Houston.”

2026 H2M2 SPEAKERS

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Vanessa Wyche

NASA Johnson Space Center | Director

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Dr. Greg Bonnen

Texas House of Representatives | Representative District 24

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Kristin Houston

L3Harris | President, Space Propulsion and Power Systems

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Eddie Seyffert

Blue Origin| Director of Civil Space

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Montgomery Goforth

NASA JSC | Chief Technologist

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Shawn Linam

Qwaltec | President and CEO

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David Alexander

Rice University | Director, Rice Space Institute

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Jimmy Wu

Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) | Deputy Director and Chief Engineer

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Chris Coker

Intuitive Machines | Vice President, Civil Space Programs

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Colleen McLeod Garner

Voyager Technologies | Director of Growth

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Dr. Rahul Suresh

NASA Johnson Space Center| Operational Flight Surgeon

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Zack Rosenthal

Vast | Manager, Space Food Systems

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Rob Meyerson

Interlune | Co-Founder and CEO

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Dr. Kirsten Siebach

Rice University | Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences

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Justin Coleman

NASA | Senior Technical Advisor, Office of the Administrator

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Allyson Reneau

Moon First, Mars Second | Author ; Harvard | M.A, International Relations

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Richard French

Rocket Lab | Vice President, Business Development and Strategy, Space Systems

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Megan E. Ortiz

Axiom | Senior Director of External Relations

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Michael Gold

Redwire Space | President

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Jeffrey Parker

Advanced Space | Chief Technology Officer

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Mat Kaplan

The Planetary Society | Senior Communications Adviser

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Diego Paldao

Volta Space Technologies | Head of Global Sales & Marketing Volta U.S.

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Michelle Frieling

NASA JSC | Director, Human Health and Performance

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Joe Cassady

L3Harris | Director, Civil Space

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Dr. Shawna Pandya

International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) | Suborbital astronaut ; Physician

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Travis Tidwell

Ardbeg | National Brand Ambassador

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Emily Apollonio

Interstellar Performance Labs | Founder and Director

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Robert Lillis

UC Berkeley | Planetary Space Physicist and Geophysicist

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Dr. Erik Antonsen

OSMED | Acting President

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Dr. Grace Douglas

NASA JSC | Lead Scientist, Advanced Food Technology, Space Food Systems Laboratory

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Dr. Bonnie J. Dunbar

NASA | Astronaut, retired ; Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation | Director

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Seamus Tuohy

MDA | Senior Director of Business Development, Robotics & Space Operations

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Dr. Robert Ambrose

Texas A&M | Space Institute, Associate Director

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Dr. James Green

NASA | former Chief Scientist and Director of Planetary Science

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Dr. Scott Solomon

Becoming Martian | Author

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Dr. Tiffany Vora

Explore Mars, Inc. | President

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Farah Zuberi

Firefly Aerospace | Director of Spacecraft Mission Management

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Humphrey ‘Hoppy’ Price

NASA JPL at CALTECH | NASA's robotic Mars Exploration Program, Chief Engineer

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Richard Davis

Mars Telecom Network Project | Chief Architect

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Sohair Salam

The Hague Institute | President

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Abdulla A Wasel

The Hague Institute | Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Board

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Dan Hendrickson

Astrobotic | Vice President of Business Development

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Ed Van Cise

NASA | Acting Director, Moon Base Mission and Systems Interoperability Office

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Audrey Morris-Eckhart

NASA | Systems Architect in the Office of the Chief Architect

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Jennifer Hesterman

Watermark Risk Management International | Vice President

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Dr. Taania Girgla

Mass General Brigham | Space Medicine Fellow

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Dr. Karina Marshall-Goebel

NASA JSC | Director EVA & Environmental Physiology Lab

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Dr. Lauren Blackwell Landon

KBR, Inc. | Team Risk Discipline Scientist

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Dr. Greg Autry

United StatesDepartment of State | Senior Advisor for Space

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Dr. Judith Ellen Brunton

Rice University | Assistant Professor, Department of Religion

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Natasha Wiest

Boeing | Block 1 Program Manager & KSC Site Lead

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Fernando J. Moguel

Pendlum Productions | Founder & Multi-Disciplinary Artist and Storyteller

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Aymette Medina Jorge

Blue Origin | Astronaut, NS-32

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Scott Parazynski

Physician; former NASA astronaut

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Brice Howard

Intuitive Machines | Director of Mission Solutions

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Leroy Chiao

OneOrbit | CEO ; former NASA astronaut

Explore Mars, Inc. is Proud to Support our Partners:

Thank you to our PLATINUM SPONSOR, L3HARRIS

PATRON SPONSOR

PATRON SPONSOR

WEBCAST SPONSOR

SUPPORTER SPONSOR

BREAKFAST SPONSOR

Washington Compact Signing Reception Sponsor

WHISKEY TASTING SPONSOR

ADVOCATE SPONSORS

FRIEND SPONSOR

THE 2026 HUMANS TO THE MOON & MARS SUMMIT

an Explore Mars Event

Explore Mars is excited to announce that for the first time, the Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit (H2M2) will take place at Rice University in Houston, Texas, on July 21-23, 2026.

Location: BioScience Research Collaborative Auditorium, Rice University, Houston, Texas

Hotels: Rice University- Campus Travel Management

July 21, 2026: Workshops/Tours

July 22-23, 2026: H2M2 Plenary Sessions

What you can look forward to at Moon and Mars

1. Networking Reception

Rub shoulders and connect with key figures in the space industry.

2. Exclusive Tours/Collaborative Initiatives

Get a first-hand behind-the-scenes look into the future of space exploration.

3. Expert-led Workshops

Dive deep into STEM advancements, the integral role of skilled trades in space, and the latest in Martian innovation.

H2M2 2026 will focus on questions that include:

Artemis II: Return to the Moon

Can the United States Beat China Back to the Moon?

How Do Private Space Stations Advance Humans to Mars?

Managing the Moon and Mars: How can NASA and its partners efficiently return to the Moon in the 2020s and to Mars in the 2030s?

How can we most effectively protect the physical and mental health of astronauts voyaging to and from the Moon and Mars?

Selecting a Landing Site on Mars for the First Human Missions

Food and Nutrition in Deep Space

AND MUCH MORE!

Hotel & Lodgings

Rice University Area Hotels in the Heart of Houston, Texas

Special Rice University Hotel Rates