UPDATE: This event was originally scheduled for Thursday, 8/30–it was moved to Friday, 8/31 by the author. You can see Andrew Kessler speak Thursday at the Atlas Obscura Society at 7:30pm for $12. NASA dominated the American consciousness once again this August with the launch and successful mission of the Mars rover Curiosity, but did you know about the Mars Phoenix Expedition in 2008? The mission led to the discovery of a vast frozen ocean far below Mars’ north pole, and even some liquid water on the red planet. Andrew Kessler knows because he was there, chronicling it all for his book Martian Summer, which describes Phoenix and the 90 days Kessler spent living and working in NASA’s Mission Control, alongside 130 scientists and engineers during the mission. The account isn’t just cool, it’s an exceptional vantage point, since Kessler was the first outsider ever to be allowed that kind of access. He’s going to be reading and signing books at BookCourt, and if Curiosity left you curious, bring your questions because he’ll also be doing a Q&A. You can RSVP here–this out-of-this-world event is open and completely free.
