Prof. Wesley Harris was cited for his research advances in aerodynamics, shock wave structure and blood flow modeling, and leadership in developing government strategic programs and policy in aerospace engineering.
PhD student George Lordos and his brother Alexandros led the project; goal of the Mars Society competition was to establish a colony on Mars for 1,000 residents.
Plans for lunar missions had been in the works for years even before John F. Kennedy committed the nation to “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth” in May 1961. One of the main questions was just how to do it with the technology available.