November 13-26, 2022
Crew Commander: Jenni Hesterman (United States)
Executive Officer/Crew Scientist: Jas Purewal (United Kingdom)
Health and Safety Officer: Elizabeth Balga (United States)
Crew Biologist & Crew Greenhab Officer : Caitlyn Hubric (United States)
Crew Engineer: Judith Marcos (United States)
Crew Journalist: Izabela Shopova (Bulgaria)
MDRS Crew 268 is an all-woman crew from three countries. All crewmembers will be at MDRS for the first time.
Below is a detailed summary of planned projects during the mission.
Jenni Hesterman
Crew education regarding strategies to enhance knowledge of self and maximize success working in diverse groups in a remote, austere environment. Training topics include how to take and use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, VARK Learning Preference Tool, and the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. Training sessions will also cover dynamic subordinancy, the gifts of fear and intuition, and how to survive the unthinkable. Also will assist in the greenhab.
Jas Purewal
Quality improvement for future research to investigate using the PARO therapeutic robot to mitigate crew stress and feelings of isolation during analog space missions. Educational First aid training using VR. Emotion study of crew in collaboration with Alex Hoffman.
Elizabeth Balga
Gather knowledge on nominal and off-nominal crew operations during Mars habitat stay and surface EVAs. Plan and execute EVAs to support the crew’s science, engineering, exploration, and training objectives. Support Crew Biologist in field and Greenhab experiments. Post-mission, gather knowledge on medical infrastructure needs by assessing crewmember biometrics during habitat and EVA operations. As the HSO, provide real-time support and oversight to the crew throughout the simulation to ensure crewmember physical and mental health, as well as environmental and operational safety.
Caitlyn Hubric
Looking for microorganisms on EVA growing on roots and/or leaves of plants in desert conditions in search for a microorganism that helps with water stress/growing in regolith-like conditions . Also looking into the application of using edible decomposers to break down organic material while generating food for the crew.
Judith Marcos
My team participated in the 2022 NASA MINDS and submitted a 3D anchor prototype. I will be testing Anchor Atlas in various ways in order to find failure in material, design or in its limits/goals. From limited access while using it, its carry capacity and UV radiation effects on a variety of 3D filaments.
Izabela Shopova
Benefits of introducing probiotics and microgreens in the crew’s menu by the means of making yogurt from powdered milk and live lactobacteria Bacilicus Bulgaricus, and growing microgreens from seeds. Developing pre-mission and mission induction training for analog astronauts. A crew journalist will be responsible for the communication with mission support and develop video for the media.