Ken (Tianjun Qu)
President & Founder
We're looking for students who refuse to believe humanity's story ends on one planet.
Founded in 1998 by aerospace engineer Dr. Robert Zubrin and a coalition of scientists, educators, and space enthusiasts, The Mars Society is the world's leading nonprofit dedicated to advancing the human exploration and eventual settlement of Mars. What began as a single gathering of roughly 700 delegates has grown into a global movement of thousands of members and supporters across more than 50 countries, connected through local chapters, research stations, and student competitions worldwide. Tri Valley Mars Society is proud to carry that mission forward here in the Bay Area — turning big ideas about life beyond Earth into real projects, real research, and real momentum, one student at a time.
Our focus areas
Clothing, Food, Shelter, Transportation — reimagined for Mars
Four human needs, four engineering problems. Every project our members take on lands in one of them.
Clothing
Spacesuit design and human factors — pressure garments, mobility, and thermal control for people working on the surface.
Food
Greenhouse and agriculture systems for growing food on Mars, from hydroponics to closed-loop nutrient cycles.
Shelter
Inflatable and membrane habitat structures that balance radiation shielding, pressure loads, and livable space.
Transportation
Mars rover design — suspension, power, and autonomy for crossing rough regolith terrain reliably.
Milestones
The roadmap ahead
- 01
September 2026
Flagship Projects
Our flagship engineering project tests whether a Mars habitat can self-regulate its interior temperature using only the geometry and materials of its shell, with no electrical power.
- 02
March 2027
ACSEF Special Award
Sponsor a Special Award at the ACSEF (Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair) — an additional prize our chapter defines and judges for outstanding student projects.
- 03
July 2027
Poster Competition with ACSEF SLB
Co-host a poster competition with the ACSEF SLB (Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair Student Leadership Board).
Team
Officers
Kai (Kai-Hsun Tsai)
Vice President & Co-Founder
Tim (Yuhao Gong)
Branding & Communication Dept.
Cyrus (Yuk Lun Leung)
Branding & Communication Dept.
Nelson Lu
Member
Mason Gold
Member
Jonathan Chen
Member
FAQ
Questions, answered
Gallery
From our events
Chapter kickoff
ISSDC prep
Habitat build
Outreach day
Guest lecture
More photos coming soon
Sponsors
Our Sponsors
Thank you to the organizations backing our work — materials, competition travel, and outreach across the Tri-Valley.
Vigiles Robotics
An embodied-intelligence robotics company founded on one conviction: the most dangerous work should not be done by people. By developing BraveBot — a robot brain adaptable across platforms — they enable machines to operate autonomously and keep personnel out of hazardous, high-intensity environments.
vigilesrobotics.com
California Science and Technology University
Founded in 2011 in Silicon Valley, California Science and Technology University (CSTU) is a private institution offering practical, career-focused tech education. It provides Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Computer Systems & Engineering and Business Administration. Its STEM-designated, OPT-eligible programs feature specialized tracks in AI, Big Data, Cloud Computing, and FinTech, alongside professional certifications designed to ensure global students' industry readiness.
cstu.eduYour organization here
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