Bios, photos and mission patch – December 22nd

Crew Commander
Jesus Meza-Galvan is a PhD candidate in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University, and a second time MDRS analog astronaut. Jesus served as Engineer for Crew 288 – Phobos and will now serve as Commander for Crew 306 – Montes. Prior to starting his PhD, Jesus worked as an applied physicist for a technology R&D company. His background is in solid-state physics and nano/microfabrication of semiconductor and optical devices. His PhD research is focused on developing MEMS micro-propulsion systems for small satellites. When he grows up, Jesus wants to be a spacecraft engineer working to develop instrumentation for science missions and tools for in-space manufacturing. He aspires to help Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum upload computer viruses onto the alien mothership.

Crew Engineer
Keegan Chavez is a second year Master’s student in the Electrical Engineering department at Purdue, his research focuses on photonic integrated circuits. He has a broader interest in researching and developing technologies that will aid in human exploration and settlement of space. Keegan’s long-term goal is to become an astronaut and be a part of a mission to settle Mars. His home town is Albuquerque, New Mexico. His hobbies include soccer and cycling.

Health and Safety Officer
Ryan Thomas Villarreal is a third year Ph.D. student at Purdue University with a multidisciplinary background passionate about analyzing and gaining a deeper knowledge of how humans interact with their environment, their technologies, and the others around them. Ryan seeks to utilize experience in software, embedded systems, and human factors to conduct research and gain insights into human behavior and physiology that inform the design of safety-critical human spaceflight systems.

GreenHab Officer
Adriana Sanchez is an Undergraduate Student studying Mechanical Engineering Technology at Purdue University with a passion for sustainability, space exploration, and innovative food production systems. Her current research focuses on advancing MycoponicsTM technology to support food production and to tackle waste management. Adriana is deeply committed to using science and innovation to help bridge gaps and build inclusive opportunities. She is working towards her goal of becoming an Astronaut. For crew 306, Adriana will focus on advancing the TRL of MycoponicsTM and test waste-made nutrient media for mushroom cultivation. Outside of her academic pursuits, she is Team Captain/Coach for the Purdue Women’s Wrestling Club and will be leading them in their very first competition this upcoming January. In her free time, she creates art, collects plants, and explores new places.

Crew Journalist
Rodrigo Schmitt, is an astrophysicist, space engineer, and a PhD candidate in Space Systems Engineering at Purdue University. Rod also co-founded SEARCH, the first organization at Purdue dedicated to analog astronautics. At the moment, Rod’s research focuses on exploring designs of innovative space systems using Kerbal Space Program as a simulation environment, while applying AI methods to understand how to better optimize lunar mission architectures. As the Crew Journalist of Crew 306 – Montes, his research explores the use of drones and LIDAR to map the terrain of MDRS. His vision of going to space first started with the show Space Brothers, where the brothers Mutta and Hibito go through the struggles of astronaut training, flight tests, and wilderness survival to reach the Moon. In his free time, he enjoys outdoors activities like hiking, as well as instrumental music and philosophical books.

Crew Geologist
Elizabeth is a master’s student in the astrodynamics department at Purdue aerospace with a background in biosystems engineering. She is interested in contributing to robotic and manned space exploration and ultimately wants to work in mission operations. By participating in MDRS, her goal is to gain a better understanding of what astronauts go through during their missions to be a better flight controller someday. Her research will focus on developing a standard operating procedure for studying geophysical properties such as subsurface magnetism during future planetary missions.