MDRS Crew Rotation is now October 2018!
almost 6 years ago
– Fri, May 04, 2018 at 03:56:20 PM
Greetings CrowdExplorers,
I have GREAT news -- our Program Manager & Director of the MDRS, Dr. Shannon Rupert, has agreed to pull in the date for the special crew rotation for MarsVR MDRS Crewmembers. Instead of it being in May 2019, now it will be this year -- in October 2018! While I am unable to update the Kickstarter reward level due to the fact that we have a pledge already, I wanted to get this information out. I have already notified the person who pledged about the date change.
We also are highlighting this news on our main website and social media. We have a special announcement here:
Jump the Line and Become an MDRS Crew Member
Also, because of the date change, we know the crew number as well. The special MarsVR crew will be MDRS Crew 197, the first crew of our 18th Field Season at the MDRS!
Now, here's an update on the Kickstarter for MarsVR:
As of this writing, we have raised $17,826 for the project, which represents 64% of our overall goal. This includes a $1000 anonymous donation we received today. We are in talks for some additional large donations and expect those to be received soon.
This means also that we are less than $10,000 remaining towards our goal! And that's in less than 3 days!
Thanks everybody for your support of the MarsVR project. I'll see you on Mars (in VR)!
-James Burk
Program Manager, MarsVR
IT Director, The Mars Society
Day 2 Update for MarsVR
almost 6 years ago
– Fri, May 04, 2018 at 03:56:00 PM
Greetings CrowdExplorers,
I am thrilled to report some amazing progress for today!
First of all -- an update on the Kickstarter... We are now making a lot of progress towards our overall goal after only 40 hours into our campaign! As of this writing, we've raised $16,571 of our overall $27,500 goal to fund MarsVR, which represents 60% of our overall goal. Wow!
Today some great media dropped for the project --
Space.com, one of the leading space news websites, has published an article about our project and the article is currently the lead feature in the Tech section, "above the fold" of the main page and just under the rotating carousel/slider. I remember when that site was founded back in 1999 and it is truly a great moment for the Mars Society that one of our projects is featured so prominently today.
Also, my podcast interview with Red Planet Radio is now online and being promoted extensively by I Love Mars Media in their monthly newsletter, as well as on Facebook.
Very exciting stuff!
We are also expecting some additional media articles and videos to come out soon...
Thanks again for all your support of this important effort for the exploration of Mars!
Earlier today I posted about our Medal Medallion reward, at the $50 level, and all the additional things that you'll receive by pledging at that level.
I also would like to call out that the MarsVR Kickstarter is the very first time that the Mars Society has offered crewmember slots at the Mars Desert Research Station to the general public. Typically, we ask interested researchers and students to go through an application process (similar to applying to college or a job). Applicants have to submit details about themselves, as well as the research they plan to undertake at the MDRS. Because of the demand for crewmember slots, we typically receive more applications than we can accomodate for each field season. MarsVR, for the first time for us, represents a way to "Jump The Line" and be able to purchase a seat for our special MarsVR crew rotation, that is tentatively planned for May 2019.
So if you pledge at this level, you'll get 5 days and 4 nights at the ultimate dream vacation, a real-life analog of Mars that researchers are wishing and hoping to be able to visit. You will also recieve ALL of our other reward levels for the project and will be recognized as one of the key supporters in a special plaque within our VR environment. We think this is a great opportunity and we hope folks will take advantage of it.
See you tomorrow. One last thing -- NASA/JPL's Insight mission is launching on Saturday morning from Vandenberg AFB in California, and we're all hoping and praying for a successful flight! Go Insight!
-James Burk
Program Manager, MarsVR
IT Director, The Mars Society
Image of Metal Medallion
almost 6 years ago
– Fri, May 04, 2018 at 03:55:33 PM
Hi all,
I just received this photo of our sample for the Medal Medallion, and wanted to share right away! We'll be tweaking the font on the back for "MarsVR" but otherwise this is indicative of what the reward will be like. Did I mention it glows in the dark?
Only 250 of these will ever be made, so get your hands on one now at the $50 pledge level. If you donate $50 or more, you will receive not only this, but also the Steam Key to unlock mission content, the digital poster of MDRS in VR, the digital donor certificate, your name in a special donor recognition plaque inside the VR environment, and a personalized thank you note from Dr. Robert Zubrin. What a deal!
Also, we hit 50% this morning on the goal, and there will be some press coming out today including a podcast I recorded for Red Planet Radio. Exciting times!! Thank you everyone for your support of this project.
James Burk
Program Manager for MarsVR
& IT Director, The Mars Society
