Generation Mars

Generation Mars was the world's largest international Mars competition, aimed at students from Canada and the United Kingdom.

Organised by a youth team from the Mars Society UK and Mars Society Canada, Generation Mars ("Genmars") took place in 2002. Unlike most scientific competitions, Generation Mars had something to offer for every possible entrant - we weren't just looking for scientific essays (athough students could submit them if they wished), we were looking for people to tell us what they think about Mars and its potential. Thus, the three categories of Generation Mars - Explore, Dream and Discover -were designed to allow entrants to write stories or essays about Mars, compose music or create artwork.

Simply put, the core aim of Generation Mars was to inspire and stimulate the youth, and to instill a sense of discovery that has disappeared from the world ever since the the last step was taken on the Moon last century.

As the Generation Mars website stated:

"Every generation needs its dreams and its goals. The youth today will form the generation that takes the first real steps into space and on Mars; Generation Mars. Mars isn't just a red star in the sky. It's a place, a new destination, a pathway to our past and future, a clean slate, a museum of the history of the Solar System that might also hold the first extra-terrestrial life. It can be any of those things and more - all you have to do is to open your mind and think."

The project was aimed at school students in the 11-16 age range, and offered a cash prize for the winning entry and also mini-prizes throughout the length of the competition (prizes provided by the UK's PPARC. Judges for the competition were all experts in Mars studies (such as the UK's Professor Colin Pillinger), and entrants received resource material printed by the Society, and the chance to purchase detailed maps of Mars.