Posted by tourdemars to Mars Society at September 1, 2003 12:00 PM

Since humans first looked to the stars for an answer to the great cosmic riddle, various celestial bodies have inspired a wide range of interpretations. In the past 100 years or so, the planet Mars has made a particularly strong mark on popular culture and holds a special attraction for many in the era of manned space exploration. In 2001, filmmaker Gerry Williams helped found the San Diego chapter of The Mars Society. Its goal: "to send humans to Mars to explore, colonize and create a second home for human civilization."