Mars Ascending is the first volume in a 2 volume series dealing with the aftermath of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. The characters in this novel pursue an explanation for this disaster, and others related to the exploration of the planet Mars. It is finally determined that the true explanation for the many unfortunate losses in both the United States and the Russian space programs is not of this earth. An international program is developed to attack the cause for the multiple disasters now facing humanity. As the book ends, the adventure truly begins, taking the reader on a distant journey to discover and neutralize the agents of destruction.