  robert zubrin (born april 9, 1952) is an american aerospace engineer and author, best known for his advocacy of the manned exploration of mars. he was the driving force behind mars directâa proposal intended to produce significant reductions in the cost and complexity of such a mission. the key idea was to use the martian atmosphere to produce oxygen, water, and rocket propellant for the surface stay and return journey. a modified version of the plan was subsequently adopted by nasa as their "design reference mission". he questions the delay and cost-to-benefit ratio of first establishing a base or outpost on an asteroid or another project apollo-like return to the moon, as neither would be able to provide all of its own oxygen, water, or energy; these resources are producible on mars, and he expects people would be there thereafter. disappointed with the lack of interest from government in mars exploration and after the success of his book the case for mars as well as leadership experience at the national space society, zubrin established the mars society in 1998. this is an international organization advocating a manned mars mission as a goal, by private funding if possible. zubrin lives in lakewood, colorado; he has two daughters, rachel and sarah. == qualifications and professional experience == zubrin holds a b.a. in mathematics from the university of rochester (1974), a m.s. in nuclear engineering (1984), a m.s. in aeronautics and astronautics (1986), and a ph.d. in nuclear engineering (1992) â all from the university of washington. he has developed a number of concepts for space propulsion and exploration, and is the author of over 200 technical and non-technical
1952_births 21st-century_American_novelists American_aerospace_engineers American_male_novelists American_non-fiction_writers American_nuclear_engineers American_satirists American_science_fiction_writers American_science_writers Exploration_of_Mars Living_people Mars_One Mars_Society Space_advocates University_of_Washington_alumni