Category: Mission Plan

[title Crew biographies, photos and mission patch – February 18th]

Yves Bejach

Yves Bejach joined ISAE Supaero to pursue his passion for space. With this in mind, and to get closer to the world of research, he joined the crew as Crew Scientist, responsible for ensuring that experiments run smoothly and protocols are respected. Together with his crew, he hopes to continue extending the scientific scope of the project, and to take advantage of this mission to popularize science.

Léa Bourgély

Léa Bourgély joined ISAE-Supaéro after completing a degree in physics in Paris, with a major in astrophysics. In line with her passion for astronomy and astrophysics, she has taken on the role of Astronomer for Crew 293. She will be in charge of the station’s two telescopes, and her astronomy project will involve studying Coronal Mass Ejections and sunspots, in order to assess their speed and direction.

Lise Lefauconnier

Lise Lefauconnier, a 2nd year student at ISAE and originally from Normandy, has long been interested in space exploration, and more particularly in the physiological impact of manned flight on human beings. This interest in the study of human reactions and behavior, her natural sensitivity and attentiveness to others, and her experience as a gymnast are what motivate her in her role: she will be a health and safety officer, in charge of the moral and physical well-being of the crew, through daily sports sessions in the station and moments of team-building.

Leo Tokaryev

A long-standing space enthusiast, Leo Tokaryev has joined crew 293 as a flight engineer to conduct experiments that will advance scientific research in space. During this mission, he will be responsible for keeping the station and its scientific instruments in good working order. Leo is particularly interested in space hardware test experiments, which will help develop tools for astronauts.

Marie Delaroche

Marie Delaroche is a student at ISAE Supaero. Having grown up in New York in a multicultural environment, she decided to return to France to study space engineering and manned flight. After a first mission at MDRS as Crew Journalist, she joined Crew 293 to serve as Commander, with the aim of continuing to extend the scientific and educational reach of Supaero’s MDRS project.
Her experience and kindness will be major assets to the success of crew 293’s mission in 2024!

Erin Pougheon

Erin Pougheon is a second-year student at ISAE-SUPAERO. Having heard about the MDRS project, she decided to join the school to study space and manned flight, a field she’s been passionate about since childhood. MDRS is an opportunity to realize her dream of contributing to space exploration efforts. An avid writer, she will be the crew’s journalist, reporting on the mission and sharing her experiences with the spacefaring community.

Mathurin Franck

After completing preparatory classes at the Lycée Pierre de Fermat, Mathurin Franck went on to pursue his dreams of space exploration and piloting at ISAE SUPAERO. With his heart set on collaborating as closely as possible with the major entities in the space sector, he wants to participate and bring his conviction, values, seriousness and skills to space exploration, to contribute to technological evolution and to be a stakeholder in this formidable human adventure that breaks down all frontiers. So it’s with great pleasure that he takes part in this mission in the role of botanist, and is ready to take science to the next level!

Crew 293 Mission plan 19Feb2024

Name of person filing report: Yves Bejach

Our Crew is as follows:

Commander: Marie Delaroche

Executive Officer / GreenHab Officer: Mathurin Franck

Astronomer: Lea Bourgély

Engineer: Leo Tokaryev

HSO: Lise Lefauconnier

Journalist: Erin Pougheon

Scientist: Yves Bejach

Crew 293, gathering 7 students of ISAE-Supaero (Toulouse, France) is planning to perform a range of scientific experiments that articulates around two main axes: human factors experiment and technology demonstrations. It is the 10th consecutive mission from Supaero students and the second one to last 4 weeks.

Physics

Two experiments from the French National Center of Scientific Research (CNRS) have been performed at the MDRS for several years already. We are planning to gather additional data for this season as well. These activities will require EVAs.

· LOAC (Light Optical Aerosol Counter): LOAC is an optical aerosol counter, measuring the concentrations of different particles in the air and classifying them by size.
Related EVAs: Two EVAs planned for the first week to install the device. Every two days, the batteries will have to be changed and the data will have to be collected. The latter procedures can be part of other EVAs.
External points of contact: Jean-Pierre Lebreton and Jean-Baptiste Renard, CNRS.
Point of contact within the crew: Lea Bourgely.

· Mega-Ares: Mega-Ares is a sensor precisely measuring the electric field and the conductivity of the air. It is the little brother of Micro-Ares, the only payload of the Schiaparelli lander (ExoMars 2016). This year we’ll also install a wind-mill that will give us aditionnal data.
Related EVAs: Performed simultaneously with the EVAs planned for LOAC. Two EVAs planned for the first week to install the device. Every two days, the batteries will have to be changed and the data will have to be collected. The latter procedures can be part of other EVAs.
External points of contact: Jean-Pierre Lebreton and Jean-Baptiste Renard, CNRS.
Point of contact within the crew: Lea Bourgely.

Technology

Technology demonstrations are planned, one of them being the continuation of the two last missions of ISAE-Supaero (Crew 263 and 275). They are based on technologies developed by the French Space Agency (CNES) and its health subsidiary (MEDES).

· AI4U: AI4U is an AI tool designed to help and assist astronauts in their daily tasks (environmental measurements, voice recognition). The aim is to test this AI assistant in real or close-to-real scenarios.
Related EVAs: None.
External points of contact: Gregory Navarro and Laure Boyer, CNES.
Point of contact within the crew: Mathurin Franck.

· Echofinder: Onboard the ISS, ultrasound scanners are teleoperated by trained specialists. As we travel further away from Earth, communication delays will increase and teleoperated devices will no longer be usable. The goal of Echofinder is to enable autonomous ultrasound acquisition sessions without any knowledge in medicine and any communication link with an experienced sonographer. The Echofinder tool uses augmented reality and an AI to help the operator capture usable imagery of the subject’s organs.
Related EVAs: None.
External point of contact: Aristée Thévenon, MEDES.
Point of contact within the crew: Yves Bejach.

· Photogrammetry: Re-conducting an experiment started by last year’s crew (Crew 275) which aims to determine how a 3D map created thanks to drone photogrammetry could improve an EVA crew’s performance during an outing.

Related EVAs: Three EVAs per week, starting the second week. The first one’s goal is to create the 3D map and decide where to position checkpoints on a designated area (one area per week). For the 2nd and 3rd ones, the EVA team will go to each checkpoint, having prepared the EVA using the standard 2D and 3D map respectively.

External point of contact: Alice Chapiron, ISAE Supaero student (Crew275)

Point of contact within the crew: Yves Bejach

· Neuroergonomy: Experiment aiming to evaluate the importance of vision compared to other senses in our perception of space.

Related EVAs: None

External point of contact: Maelis Lefebvre, ISAE-Supaero

Point of contact within the crew: Leo Tokaryev

Human factors

Human factors experiments are arguably the ones that benefit the most from taking place during an analogous mission.

· KTHitecture: Measure of the stress of analog astronauts and of the influence of environmental parameters on the stress using Polar bands bracelets, sleep monitoring using Dreem headbands, questionnaires, evaluation of the position of the analog astronauts in the station, and environmental measurement (temperature, humidity, etc.).
Related EVAs: None.
External point of contact: Michail Magkos, KTH.
Point of contact within the crew: Lise Lefauconnier.

· MELiSSA: The MELiSSA project (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) is a European project led by the European Space Agency (ESA) aiming at developing a highly circular and regenerative life support system for space missions. The ALiSSE methodology (Advanced Life Support System Alternative) was developed as part of the project to provide an impartial evaluation tool of each technology system, including mass, energy and power, efficiency, crew time, crew risk, reliability, and durability. The proposed activity within the MELiSSA project focuses on the operational aspects of preparing recipes from higher plants and aims for a preliminary evaluation of the "crew time" criterion.

Related EVAs: None

External point of contact: Blandine Gorce, ESA

Point of contact within the crew: Mathurin Franck

· Trace Lab: The purpose of this research is to better understand the role that emotion and coping strategies have on team dynamics within ICE (Isolated, Confined, Extreme) teams. The findings from this study will aid in the understanding of the role of affect within teams operating in ICE conditions – something that has been highlighted as being important by researchers, Antarctic expeditioners, and astronauts. Experiment conducted in collaboration with Trace Lab, University of Florida.

Related EVAs: None

External point of contact: Andres Kaosaar

Point of contact within the crew: Marie Delaroche

· AMI – Anomalies Monitoring Interface: Software allowing random anomalies to occur within the station to simulate problems that could happen in a real environment and see how we could react. The main goal is to improve the simulation.

Related EVAs: Potentially emergency EVAs in case of depressurization of ammoniac leak. It is worth noting that such emergencies cannot be mistaken for real ones as it is not a problem that can occur within our earthly MDRS.

External point of contact: Quentin Royer, ISAE Supaero student (Crew275)

Point of contact within the crew: Marie Delaroche

· Timepercept: Subjective time perception in confined environments, such as isolation or imprisonment, often leads to a distortion of time experience. The phenomenon is significant in understanding the psychological effects of confinement and has implications for mental health management in isolated or controlled settings like space missions or solitary confinement. Experiment conducted with the University of Krakow.

Related EVAs: None

External point of contact: Mateusz Daniol

Point of contact within the crew: Erin Pougheon

Outreach

· Media: Several articles and interviews in French newspaper and on radio

· Scientific mediation: We, like all Supaero Crews that came before us, try to share our passion for space and science in general by engaging in intervention in middle and high school. This year, we developed with high-schoolers a 3-step project around growing food on Mars.

Related EVAs: One as early as possible to retrieve some martian soil in which to plant radish seeds.

External point of contact: None

Point of contact within the crew: Mathurin Franck

Clare Fletcher
Clare Fletcher (they/she) is a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales’s Australian Centre for Astrobiology in Sydney, Australia. Their PhD focuses on exogeoconservation of Mars – understanding important geological sites and features, particularly potential evidence of life and palaeoenvironments, and how we can best protect them while allowing continued exploration of Mars. Clare has previously completed an MPhil which focused on creating a roadmap for the geoconservation of the oldest evidence of life on Earth – 3.5 Gya stromatolite fossils in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, which have been studied by space agencies in preparation for Mars missions such as Mars2020 Perseverance.
In Crew 292 Mangalyaatra Clare will undertake the role of Crew Journalist, utilising their experience as a science writer to convey the experiences of the crew and articulate the research they undertake. Clare is additionally undertaking research for their PhD while at the Mars Desert Research Station and is participating in both Crew 291 Expedition Boomerang 3 and Crew 292 Mangalyaatra. Over four weeks at the MDRS, Clare’s research for their PhD will seek to understand how humans impact the Mars environment over varying temporal and spatial scales. The key outcome of Clare’s time at the MDRS will be to create a method to determine in situ what astrobiological features need to be protected and how to best do that. The purpose of this study is to come up with a way for astronauts and mission teams to effectively consider exogeoconservation as they explore and sample, without necessitating extensive reconnaissance for every location or outcrop. No such studies have been conducted before, and there is currently no best practice for scientific sampling that takes into account the protection of vitally important study features on Mars while still allowing sampling.
Clare is a member of the Mars Society of Australia, the Australian Centre for Astrobiology, and the IAA Moon Farside Protection Permanent Committee. They have worked as a writer for SpaceAustralia.com and helped run social media accounts for the Australian Centre for Astrobiology. Clare has presented their work at the UN COPUOS Legal Subcommittee Meeting in 2023 and at various conferences across Australia. Clare also teaches courses in astrobiology and science communication at the University of New South Wales.

Annalea Beattie
Dr. Annalea Beattie is an artist who uses art as a methodology for thinking about how we might live together in the future on Mars. Her art practice is set on space science expeditions to extreme environments on Earth, those that have conditions analogous to other celestial bodies. This is her third trip to Utah. In her last rotation to the Mars Desert Research Station, Annalea was a crew member of the three-month space simulation and science mission Mars 160. On this rotation she will lead Crew 292.
Apart from this busy role, Annalea’s own art-based research will focus on environmental stewardship, exploring a politics of care through dialogue, reflection and making art. Through co-creation, art making will address the nuances and complexities of what constitutes a frontier environment, looking closely at concepts of ‘wilderness’ and ‘free’ space. With the aim of broadening our understanding of how we imprint onto worlds that are not our own, her project thinks through materials and making to develop an ethics of reciprocal responsibility, one that can be translated to elsewhere⎯to Ladakh⎯and when we travel off-Earth to Mars. This project will emphasise our collective responsibility to both the human and the nonhuman and the potential of art as a catalyst for change.
Annalea Beattie is a Director of Mars Society Australia and of the National Space Society of Australia. She has contributed to four Springer volumes on extra-terrestrial liberty, speculating through her art practice how art making can sustain and invigorate communities off-Earth. Annalea is Adjunct Professor at the Centre of Excellence in Astrobiology, Amity University, Mumbai. She is a member of the International Dark Sky Association and The Association of Mars Explorers.

Aditya Krishna Karigiri Madhusudhan
Aditya is currently pursuing his Master’s degree at McGill University in Canada, specializing in observational cosmology. His research focuses on studying dark energy via 21-cm intensity mapping using large radio interferometers. Prior to this, Aditya earned his B. Tech in Mechatronics engineering, cultivating expertise in robotics, machine learning, and electronics. He later followed his passion to explore the world of astrophysics by undertaking the visiting student position at Raman Research Institute, India. Aditya delved into the realm of radio astronomy, laying the foundation for his current exploration of the early universe at McGill.
As the crew executive officer and crew astronomer, Aditya is determined to foster a collaborative and efficient team environment. In his role as the Executive Officer, he is focused on ensuring smooth communication and coordination among crew members, optimizing workflow, and addressing any operational challenges that may arise during missions. As the designated crew astronomer, his central objective is to formulate comprehensive plans and effective strategies for the construction of an observatory in preparation for the upcoming analog station in India. In addition to this, his secondary objective is to make use of the MDRS Musk observatory to capture and analyse potential solar events which in turn will provide a deeper understanding of solar phenomena and its implications for space travel and exploration.
Using his expertise in radio astronomy, Aditya aims to set up a simple radio telescope to detect radio emissions from space objects. Radio waves can penetrate through various obstacles, such as dust clouds and gas, that can block visible light. They can be operated 24 hours a day and are not affected by weather conditions. Having a radio telescope complements the existing optical telescopes and can provide a deeper understanding of celestial objects across various regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Bharti Sharma
Bharti Sharma, an exceptional geologist and visionary behind AADYA – PLANETARY AND GEOSCIENCE RESEARCH, stands as a shining example of unwavering dedication to pushing the boundaries of geology. With a Bachelor’s in Earth Science from Amity University Haryana and Master’s in Geology from Doon University, Bharti has woven together a colorful tapestry of experiences in the GIS and Geoscience industries, research, and impactful roles as a Field Teaching Assistant. Her brainchild, AADYA, serves as a stronghold for Geotourism, Skill Development, Collaborative Research, and Geo-Consultancy, showcasing her immense passion as a geologist and a Geo-Space Entrepreneur, a term which has coined for herself.
Bharti’s passion for planetary geology grew significantly during her time as a Research and Field Teaching Assistant in Ladakh. This experience served as the starting point for her exploration of the mysteries surrounding celestial bodies. With a specialization in planetary analogue research, she skillfully identifies similarities between various celestial entities and Earth, delving into the complexities of their beginnings and development. Her unwavering dedication to the field of planetary geology establishes her as a pioneering figure, continuously advancing humanity’s knowledge of cosmic phenomena.
As the Science lead of MDRS CREW 292, her mission is to study the geological and geomorphological features of Utah, intricately linking them with the terrain of Leh and Mars. Equipped with field analysis and remote sensing techniques, her primary goal remains the comprehensive understanding of various terrestrial analogue sites, thus bridging the gap between Mars and Earth Geology.
As an enthusiastic member of Women in Space South Asia, Bharti actively promotes increased female participation in space science, fostering opportunities for aspiring space enthusiasts. Apart from her illustrious career in geology, Bharti finds solace and motivation in exploring various landscapes around the world, satisfying her innate curiosity about the diverse aspects of our planet.

Daniel Loy
Daniel Loy is a first year Astrobiology PhD student from the Open University (UK) who will be fulfilling the roles of Crew Biologist and Health and Safety Officer for Crew 292. In his PhD project he is investigating and characterising the microbial communities and their interactions with the host sediments of the Makgadikgadi Basin in Botswana. The Makgadikgadi contains several salt flats with conditions that are very similar to ancient Mars, so this research will also be used as an analogue for the Noachian-Hesperian transition in Mars’ early history.
As the Crew Biologist, Daniel’s project will focus on recovering and extracting DNA from halophiles and other extremophiles to investigate the functional and taxonomic diversity of salt deposits and other gathered samples. Daniel will build on the established foundation of the research conducted in previous analog missions at the MDRS through the application of cultivation-dependant techniques that he developed during his Masters research project on recovery of entombed halophiles from salt crystals to isolate cultures of halophile; growth experiments will then be used to identify the metabolic potential of these isolates.
Daniel will also develop, modify and employ field-appropriate cultivation-independent techniques; this will involve use of the Bento Lab, a portable centrifuge, gel station and PCR machine, in combination with Hot Start PCR polymerases, PCR primers for an array of biogeochemical cycling genes and the MoBio DNA extraction kit, which will be modified for application with reduced facilities. With this combination of equipment, Daniel will perform DNA extractions in the hab-unit with both his isolates and Utah Desert Samples collected under mission-simulated conditions. These DNA samples will then be screened for functional genes via PCR.
This combination of techniques will provide baseline of fundamental cultivation dependant (isolations) and cultivation independent techniques (DNA extraction and PCR) that are achievable under analog mission parameters. This will then form the methodological framework for training framework and protocols that could then be carried out by non-biologists for future crews, at the MDRS, the Ladakh research station site or other locations. These techniques also represent more low-cost and sustainable techniques that can be carried out long-term and do not depend on reagents with a short shelf life.
Daniel Loy is a Junior Officer with the Royal Naval Reserves in the UK alongside his current studentship. He has previously investigated halophiles during his Masters research project with a focus on entombing microorganisms in salt to study how rapidly they recover and grow once outside of the crystals.

Mehnaz Jabeen
Mehanz Jabeen trained as a Geoinformatics professional at The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI ) School of Advance Studies Leh. She is a member of the Ladakh Science Foundation. Her Geoinformatics is an interdisciplinary branch of science which deals with cartographic geovisualisation, GIS, Remote Sensing, Photogrammetry, spatial statistics, multivariate statistics and other advanced tools and techniques. She is able to contribute in all kinds of spatial analysis using different geospatial techniques, artificial intelligence & machine learning, generate maps and provide valuable contextual information to science and planning teams. Mehnaz is experienced in applying geospatial technologies to solve real world challenges in environmental, social and economic domains by acquisition of data, exploring, visualizing and analyzing various spatial data. In Utah she will primarily focus on the green hab. Her own interest is how we might combine traditional nomadic knowledge to establish a green house in Ladakh where natural vegetation grows and survives in winters when temperatures drop to minus 20 degrees.

Rajvi Patel
Mangalyaatra Crew Engineer Rajvi is an aerospace engineer at Kaleidoscope Innovation where she works on commercial aircrafts to make them safe to fly. She pursued her master’s in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor with a specialization in Space Systems working on satellites and space mission design. Prior to this, she worked at Raytheon Technologies in Bengaluru, India. During her journey in India, Vikram Sarabhai Community Science Centre (VASCSC) was her second home where she explored the world of science beyond the rigid framework of theoretical classes. Throughout her life, she has explored her passion for engineering by working with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aircrafts, robots, satellites, and spacecrafts. She loves to build things and make it work. She aspires to be a space explorer which drives her motivation for being on Crew 292.
Additionally, Rajvi has led multiple community initiatives like educating underprivileged kids and awareness activities for women empowerment. She co-led an international organization called Graduate Rackham International (GRIN) at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. She also loves hiking, traveling, reading, doing yoga and swimming.
As a Crew Engineer on team Mangalyaatra, she will utilize her engineering expertise to routinely monitor the equipment used by the crew and repair them in case of systems failure. Her duty will include providing daily status reports for each piece of equipment. In addition to these responsibilities, she will conduct her research that primarily focuses on propellant production utilizing water-bearing minerals at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), Utah. Utilizing such propellants could decrease the cost of interplanetary travel and prove to be an additional source of propellant for the space exploration crew.

MANGALYATRI Mission Plan
Mars Desert Research Station
Crew 292, February 4-17, 2024

Crew 292 Mangalyatri comprises of:

Bharti Sharma- Science lead and Crew Geologist.
Daniel Loy- Crew Biologist and Health and Safety Officer.
Clare Fletcher- Geoconservationist and Crew Journalist.
Mehnaz Jabeen- Geoinformatics specialist and Green Hab Officer
Rajvi Patel- Crew Engineer
Aditya Krishna Karigiri Madhusudhan- XO and Crew Astronomer.
Annalea Beattie- Artist in Residence and Crew Commander.

Outreach and on-the-ground crew:
Sakshi Sharma in Jaipur, India and Ilankuzhali Elavarasan in Texas, USA.

External Directors:
Dr. Jen Blank
Dr. Siddharth Pandey
Dr. Anushree Srivastava

Mangalyatri means ‘Mars Expeditioners’ or ‘Mars Crew’ in Hindi. Mangalyatri Crew 292 to the Mars Desert Research Station has a team mission focus on learning as much as we can about Mars analogues from the largest and longest running analogue research station in the world, with the aim of building a science desert research station in Ladakh. In other words, this mostly Indian national crew has a mission focus on what we can learn from one analogue station to build another.

Mangalyatri is fielded by Mars Society Australia. MSA has a long history of sending crews to the Mars Desert Research Station and we would like to build own station at Arkaroola one day with the support of the U.S Mars Society. In the last decade we have also worked with institutions in India such as the Centre of Excellence in Astrobiology, Amity University, Mumbai, Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow and more, at Mars analogue sites in India. We have fielded expeditions to sites like Lonar which is a basalt crater similar to that of Jezero, to one of the biggest salt deserts in the world, the Great Raan of Katchchh, and in the past few years we have jointly organised three consecutive expeditions to the high glacial deserts of Ladakh with the team from Amity University’s Centre of Excellence in Astrobiology.

In Utah our interdisciplinary MSA Crew 292 will consider the implications of what it means to live and work in simulation in a Mars-like environment, in a vast and ancient desert that is an actual geological Martian analogue. At the same time, overall, our team goals focus on what we can learn from the systems, science and science operations in Utah to apply this knowledge to future work in Ladakh.

Geologist Bharti Sharma is our Science lead and her mission is to study the geological and geomorphological features of Utah, intricately linking them with the terrain of Ladakh and Mars. Equipped with field analysis and remote sensing techniques, her primary goal remains the comprehensive understanding of terrestrial analogue sites, thus bridging the gap between Mars and Earth geology.

As our Crew Biologist, Daniel Loy’s project will focus on recovering and extracting DNA from halophiles and other extremophiles to investigate the functional and taxonomic diversity of salt deposits and other gathered samples. Importantly, Daniel will also develop, modify and employ field-appropriate cultivation-independent techniques to provide a baseline of fundamental cultivation dependant (isolations) and cultivation independent techniques (DNA extraction and PCR) that are achievable under analogue mission parameters. This will inform a methodological framework for training, and protocols that could then be carried out by non-biologists for future crews⎯at the MDRS, at the Ladakh research station site in the Himalayas or other locations. Daniel is also our Health and Safety Officer.

Clare Fletcher’s PhD focuses on exogeoconservation of Mars – understanding important geological sites and features, particularly potential evidence of life and palaeoenvironments, and how we can best protect them while allowing continued exploration of Mars. Clare is participating in both MSA Crew 291 Expedition Boomerang 3 and Crew 292 Mangalyatri. The key outcome of Clare’s time at the MDRS will be to create a method to determine in situ what astrobiological features need to be protected and how to best do that. The purpose of the study is to come up with a way for astronauts and mission teams to effectively consider exogeoconservation as they explore and sample, without necessitating extensive reconnaissance for every location or outcrop. In Crew 292 Mangalyatri Clare will also undertake the role of Crew Journalist.

As the designated crew astronomer, astrophysicist Aditya Krishna Karigiri Madhusudhan’s central objective is to formulate comprehensive plans and effective strategies for the construction of an observatory in preparation for the upcoming analogue station in India. In addition to this, his secondary objective is to make use of the MDRS Musk observatory to capture and analyse potential solar events which in turn will provide a deeper understanding of solar phenomena and its implications for space travel and exploration. Aditya is second in command and XO for this crew.

Rajvi Patel is our Crew Engineer. Her role is to keep all our general and particular systems in the hab, and the equipment inside and out, running and safe. Her duties will include providing daily status reports for each piece of equipment. In addition to these responsibilities, she will conduct research that primarily focuses on understanding propellant production utilizing water-bearing minerals at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), Utah. Utilizing such propellants could decrease the cost of interplanetary travel and prove to be an additional source of propellant for the space exploration crew.

An active member of the Ladakh Science Foundation and a Geoinformatics professional, Mehnaz Jabeen is experienced in applying geospatial technologies to solve real world challenges in environmental, social and economic domains by acquisition of data, exploring, visualizing and analyzing various spatial data. In Utah she will take on the role of Green Hab Officer. Her own interest is how we might combine traditional nomadic knowledge to establish a greenhouse at our research station in Ladakh where natural vegetation grows and survives in winters when temperatures drop to minus 20 degrees. In Utah Mehnaz will explore the spatial and temporal variations of temperature, humidity and soil moisture to identify critical thermo-hydrological thresholds in the Green Hab, those that influence evapotranspiration dynamics. She will collect data and calculate actual and potential evapotranspiration through established equations, applying the Budyko curve to decipher the ecosystems response to altered temperature and humidity regimes. The outcome of her research will not only contribute to our fundamental understanding of controlled ecosystem dynamics but will also provide precise insights into optimizing temperature and humidity parameters for enhanced plant growth and resource management in artificial habitats, especially in Ladakh (India) with extreme climate conditions and Mars like terrain.
Dr. Annalea Beattie is Crew Commander and artist for Mangalyatri 292. Annalea’s own art-based research will focus on environmental stewardship, exploring a politics of care through dialogue, reflection and making art. Through co-creation, art making will address the nuances and complexities of what constitutes a frontier environment, looking closely at concepts of ‘wilderness’ and ‘free’ space. The crew of Mangalyatri will be given their own art materials and sketchbooks. They will be invited to think laterally, to search for alternative knowledge through drawing and writing as they begin to recognise something of their own unique position in the vast landscape of the desert. This project aims to broaden understanding of how we imprint onto worlds that are not our own. Our team will be encouraged to develop an ethics of reciprocal responsibility, one that can be translated to elsewhere⎯to Ladakh⎯and when we travel off-Earth to Mars.
In terms of outreach to India, during the second week of our rotation our crew will join online with Amity University’s Centre of Excellence in Astrobiology Mumbai, in conversation with the very first cohort of postgraduate astrobiology students in India. For this live event we will be joined by members of Women in Space South Asia, an organisation which emerged from our Ladakhi expeditions in 2021and is supported by Mars Society Australia. Three of our crew are founding members of Women in Space South Asia including Sakshi Sharma who is our outreach person on the ground in India. With our partners in India, our team goal is to learn as much as we can from our experiences in Utah and apply that knowledge in Ladakh – to ensure the significance of astrobiological and analogue research studies, especially in relation to Mars.

Crew 291 – Expedition Boomerang 3

Jan 21 – Feb 3, 2024

Crew Members:

Commander: Andrew Wheeler

Health and Safety Officer: Steven Hobbs

Green Hab Officer & Crew Engineer: Scott Dorrington

Crew Astronomer: Rob Hunt

Crew Scientist: Clare Fletcher

Crew Journalist: Alexander Tobal

Andrew Wheeler (Commander): Andrew is a senior geologist for a geology, surveying, and engineering consultancy, supervising exploratory drilling programs and mentoring graduate and junior geologists on site. He has also served in similar roles in projects around the world. Andrew has served as a member for Crew 214 and 215 at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah in 2019, commanding 215. He also led an expedition to FMARS in July 2023. He will serve as commander for Crew 291 at MDRS in early 2024. He has a B App Sci in Applied Geology (QIT Queensland Australia), Post Graduate Diplomas in Science (Earth Science) and Education (UQ Queensland Australia), and collaborates in research into Martian geology.

Steven Hobbs (Health and Safety Officer): Dr Steven Hobbs has a Master’s in Space Systems Engineering with a focus of developing hyperspectral sensors for deep space applications. Coupled with his PhD in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, he has actively researched Martian geomorphology, Earth-based analogues and surface processes. Additionally, Steven is investigating the utility of low-cost sensors and robotics, testing them in near-space environments, to inform the next generation of Moon and Mars exploration. This research has included trials of sensors in near-space, with high-altitude balloon flight performance comparing favourably with on-orbit sensors. Steven is a member of Mars Society Australia and has published three books. He is currently authoring a book on Martian remote sensing.

Scott Dorrington (Green Hab Officer & Crew Engineer): Scott Dorrington is a postdoctoral researcher with interests in astrodynamics, space mission design, space resource utilization, and space sustainability. He is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Space Enabled group at the MIT Media Lab, working on the development and implementation of the Space Sustainability Rating. He is also involved with experimental design and operations planning of spaceflight hardware projects, having deployed microgravity experiments on suborbital launches, and passive sensors on a lunar rover. He is also involved with the Zero Robotics program, helping high school students develop code to control the Astrobee free-flying robot on the International Space Station.

Rob Hunt (Crew Astronomer): Rob is a translational scientist who is broadly skilled, educated and experienced in a range of fields and endeavours. With backgrounds in biology, astronomy, space science, scientific research, agriculture, land use, teaching, construction, food production, swimming teaching, SCUBA diving, and genealogy, he most enjoys the discovery of new, and dissemination of existing, knowledge. He conducts a small astronomy/space outreach business, travelling regional and urban Australia to deliver hands-on stargazing and rocketry events to schools, isolated communities and private groups. For nearly three decades, Rob lived off-grid amongst 30m tall eucalypts in the highlands of SE Australia. He designed, drafted plans, and built an energy-efficient adobe home with small hobby farm, fabricating and installing all facets of the project including utilities. He has decades of experience as a stay-at-home parent in this off-grid environment. As resource and logistics person, Rob has also travelled overland from Johannesburg to London. Rob’s first expedition to MDRS is as Crew Astronomer and Medical Support. He was looking forward to operating the Musk Observatory’s solar telescope to capture images of solar activity however inclement weather now dictate that Rob uses his time to improve the productivity of other team members’ programs, and their experience at MDRS by providing logistical, domestic, manual, and technical support for the full range of team activities.

Clare Fletcher (Crew Scientist): Clare Fletcher (they/she) is a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales’s Australian Centre for Astrobiology in Sydney, Australia. Their PhD focuses on exogeoconservation of Mars – understanding important geological sites and features, particularly potential evidence of life and palaeoenvironments, and how we can best protect them while allowing continued exploration of Mars. Clare has previously completed an MPhil which focused on creating a roadmap for the geoconservation of the oldest evidence of life on Earth – 3.5 Gya stromatolite fossils in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, which have been studied by space agencies in preparation for Mars missions such as Mars2020 Perseverance. Clare is a member of the Mars Society of Australia, the Australian Centre for Astrobiology, and the IAA Moon Farside Protection Permanent Committee. They have worked as a writer for SpaceAustralia.com and helped run social media accounts for the Australian Centre for Astrobiology. Clare has presented their work at the UN COPUOS Legal Subcommittee Meeting in 2023 and at various conferences across Australia. Clare also teaches courses in astrobiology and science communication, as well as various earth and environmental sciences courses, at the University of New South Wales.

Alexander Tobal (Crew Journalist): Alexander is a Mars Society Australia director and Australian public servant with a background in biology and biomedical science. His current job role involves the design of strategic foresight techniques to help government departments ‘future-proof’ their activities, and he has previously worked for groups like the Australian Space Agency and the Office of the Chief Scientist. Alexander aspires to become a successful science fiction author and/or interplanetary nomad (both seem equally likely). In the meantime, as crew journalist, he plans to collect feedback that will inform the design and construction of a Mars analogue facility in Australia.

Crew 291 – Expedition Boomerang III
Jan 21st – Feb 3rd, 2024

Crew Members:
Commander: Andrew Wheeler
Health and Safety Officer: Steve Hobbs
Crew Scientist: Clare Fletcher
Crew Engineer and Green Hab Officer: Scott Dorrington
Crew Astronomer and Medical support: Rob Hunt
Crew Journalist: Alex Tobal

Mission Plan:

Expedition Boomerang 3 is an all Australian crew tasked with exposing a new generation of scientists, engineers, technicians and communicators to Mars analogue conditions. Procedures and techniques for surface operations will be investigated through the deployment of a variety of environmental, topographical and spectral sensors at a variety of distances from MDRS. Simultaneously, geological features will be visited to update their co-ordinates and, along with hardware associated with MDRS, inspected for preservation as historical objects/locations. Utilization of the solar observatory for monitoring of solar activity (weather dependent) will be undertaken and all activities documented to record difficulties encountered, solutions determined and improvements recommended so as to inform a Mars Society Australia design for analogue habitat.

Crew Projects:

Title: Geological mapping and sensor deploy
Investigators: Andrew Wheeler, Clare Fletcher, Steve Hobbs and Scott Dorrington, with full-crew participation
Objectives: The mission objectives are to revisit geologically interesting locations, deploy sensors to characterize mineralogy, locate them in the topography for navigation purposes and characterize the sites for preservation.
Description: Environmental sensors will initially be deployed within the immediate vicinity of the MDRS complex to allow calibration of the instruments. These will be later relocated to more remote sites of geological interest. Simultaneously, various means of navigation using topographic features will be investigated. Locations already recorded in GPS will be revisited with further investigation of the historical significance, preservation state and conservation strategies.
Rationale: Environmental monitoring at locations of significance for ISRU on Mars is vital for surface operations. Machinery can be affected by temperatures, dust levels and incoming radiation and the effectiveness of sensors for these roles need testing in analogue situations.
EVAs: A minimum of 4 EVAs are required, with more targeted.

Title: Monitoring Solar activity
Author: Rob Hunt
Objectives: The MDRS solar observatory will be utilized for the daily monitoring of solar activity.
Description: Daily observations of solar activity will be undertaken throughout each sol to record the surface conditions of the sun.
Rationale: With the sun entering a period of solar maximum, daily observations of solar activity are vital to satellite and surface operations on Mars.
EVAs: None required.

Title: Investigations for establishment of MARS-Oz in Australia.
Author: Alexander Tobal
Objectives: This project is focused on collecting observations of how analogue astronauts operate under simulated conditions and how the MDRS hab setout influences operations and if improvements can be incorporated into the MARS-Oz design.
Description: Using observations and descriptions of procedures and techniques, conclusions for improvements in habitat design can be made.
Rationale: MDRS is a first generation analogue design that can inform construction of the proposed MARS-Oz habitat.
EVAs: Not required.

Mars Desert Research Station

Mission Plan

Crew 290 – Project MADMEN

Jan 7th – Jan 20th, 2024

Crew Members:

Commander and Health and Safety Officer: Madelyn Hoying

Executive Officer and Health and Safety Officer: Rebecca McCallin

Crew Scientist: Anja Sheppard

Green Hab Officer: Benjamin Kazimer

Crew Engineer: Anna Tretiakova

Crew Journalist: Wing Lam (Nicole) Chan

Mission Plan:

Project MADMEN is an analog-based proof-of-concept adaptation of Project ALIEN, an exploration class mission concept to discover life on the surface of Mars and to study adaptation of microorganisms to the Martian environment as proposed to the 2020 NASA RASC-AL Challenge. Project ALIEN consists of a two-part plan to study the ability of microbes to adapt to the harsh conditions of the Martian surface, while simultaneously conducting a search for Martian life.

Proposed experiments for Project MADMEN, the two-week analog-based adaptation of Project ALIEN, primarily consist of conducting on-site field tests of geological samples aimed towards searching for life on Martian surface. To do this, a series of extravehicular activities (EVAs) are planned to collect soil samples and test (while on the EVA at the sampling site) for evidence of potential signs of life. Field testing will focus on detection of bacterial energy metabolism based on sulfur cycle, carbon cycle, and ATP synthesis. The entire Crew 290 team will work on Project MADMEN’s scientific goals. Additional Crew 290 studies include psychosocial investigations and the use of ground penetrating radar.

Crew Projects:

Title: Project MADMEN

Author(s): Madelyn Hoying and Rebecca McCallin, with full-crew participation

Objectives: Our mission objective is to identify and characterize microbial life via metabolic assays based on the sulfur cycle.

Description: Soil samples from EVAs will be run through a series of metabolic assays starting in the field and continuing upon return into the habitat. Testing will focus on detection of bacterial energy metabolism based on sulfur cycle, interactions with high salt concentrations, and ATP synthesis. Samples will also be diluted and flushed through a novel microfluidic device to proliferate microbes and concurrently run metabolic assays.

Rationale: Given the highly salt concentrated and sulfur rich surface of Mars, it is assumed that microbes living in the regolith will have adapted to living in such conditions. Metabolic byproducts can be used not only as an indicator of productivity but also as a source of detection. We developed metabolic assays that would induce activity in microbes living in regolith conditions comparable to Mars. Using fluctuations in pH to monitor reduction/oxidation reactions, we will be able to detect the presence of a metabolically active organism and simultaneously characterize it. We have also developed a device to proliferate collected microbes with low contamination risk to crew members performing assessments, preventing potentially adverse interactions.

EVAs: A minimum of 4 EVAs are required, with more targeted.

Title: Evaluating Psychosocial Impacts of Mars Mission Architectures

Author: Madelyn Hoying

Objectives: This project seeks to compare psychosocial interactions among crew and emergency response capabilities between Mars mission architectures. Results from this single-site architecture test will be compared to previous dual-site architecture experiments developed and tested by MIT.

Description: Daily questionnaires will be completed by the crew in analog and compared to a pre-analog baseline questionnaire. These are based on the Ecological Momentary Assessment, a well-established contemporary method for psychosocial research that focuses on the lived moment-by-moment experience of study participants within naturalistic contexts.

Rationale: As commercial high-capacity launch vehicles become available, large-scale space missions present exciting new options for surface exploration. These are notably different from the current 4–7-person mission designs, and as such necessitate testing variations in crew dynamics, governance, emergency response, and unique psychosocial aspects associated with different mission architectures.

EVAs: None (although EVA inputs from other projects are valuable to the study).

Title: Ground Penetrating Radar for Martian Rovers

Author: Anja Sheppard

Objectives: This project is focused on collecting Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and stereoscopic camera imagery data in a Martian analog environment. Post-analog data processing will focus on using this data for machine learning applications.

Description: With our custom Clearpath Husky data collection platform, we will simulate data collection of a Martian rover to determine alternative use cases for camera and radar data. We have already verified our platform in a non-Martian environment.

Rationale: The RIMFAX GPR sensor on the Perseverance rover has demonstrated a science case for using radar on the surface of Mars, primarily targeted at the search for water. GPR reveals a lot of information about surface and subsurface terrain properties. We are interested in exploring new use cases for this sensor modality that is already in use in Martian environments.

EVAs: Requires a minimum of 4 EVAs. We plan to collect data at varied terrain types that are present within a 100 meter radius at each MADMEN EVA site. For EVAs independent of the MADMEN objectives, we will target varied terrain within walking distance of MDRS.

[title  Crew biographies, photos and mission patch – January 8th]

Mars Desert Research Station

Crew Biographies

Crew 290 – Project MADMEN

Jan 7th – Jan 20th, 2024

Crew Members:

Commander and Health and Safety Officer: Madelyn Hoying

Executive Officer and Health and Safety Officer: Rebecca McCallin

Crew Scientist: Anja Sheppard

Green Hab Officer: Benjamin Kazimer

Crew Engineer: Anna Tretiakova

Crew Journalist: Wing Lam (Nicole) Chan

Madelyn Hoying (Commander and co-Health and Safety Officer) is a PhD candidate in the joint MIT and Harvard Medical School Medical Engineering and Medical Physics program, and an M.S. in AeroAstro at MIT. Her Ph.D. research in the Tearney Lab at Massachusetts General Hospital investigates aerospace physiology leading to novel medical devices for long-duration spaceflight. Her M.S. research targets development of planetary exploration architectures. Madelyn graduated from Duquesne University in 2020 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and a B.A. in Physics, where she was a 2020 nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award as a member of the NCAA D1 swim team. In addition, Madelyn designs and leads analog missions to test new technologies, human operations, crew dynamics, and recovery procedures in simulated planetary surface exploration missions.

Rebecca McCallin (Executive Officer and co-Health and Safety Officer) completed her Bachelors of Science in Biology with a concentration in human physiology at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. While a student, she competed as an NCAA Division I rower and as the lead biologist of Duquesne’s NASA’s RASC-AL Challenge team. The product of the RASC-AL mission was Project ALIEN, which was enhanced and developed into Crew 290’s MDRS mission to search for life on Mars! In addition to her extraterrestrial research, Rebecca is the lab manager for the Janjic Lab at Duquesne University where she manufactures and develops nanoparticles. In her free time, she volunteers as an EMT with her hometown fire department.

Anja Sheppard (Crew Scientist) is a doctoral candidate in Robotics at the University of Michigan, where her research focuses on autonomous navigation and perception for robots in extreme environments. Anja is passionate about robotic and human spaceflight, as well as establishing ethical and political frameworks for space exploration. In her free time, she DJs at the local radio station and enjoys reading on her porch.

Ben Kazimer (GreenHab Officer) is a research engineer at MIT Lincoln Laboratory and a space food enthusiast. At Lincoln Lab, he works on sensor modeling and deployment. Outside of work, Ben is excited about the food landscape in space. In his free time, he enjoys going to see live music concerts and experimenting with new landscapes.

Anna Tretiakova (Crew Engineer) is an undergraduate sophomore student at Boston University, majoring in mechanical engineering. Outside her studies she works at SiLab, an engineering makerspace situated on the BU campus. Here, she not only engages in hands-on activities but also teaches fellow students; guiding them in mastering the intricacies of woodworking, metalworking, and textile machinery. Anna seizes every opportunity for adventure, embarking on camping, hiking, and backpacking escapades whether it’s a single vacation day, an entire week, or even a full month. On these trips Anna does her best to scout for some freshly cut logs to later bring into the shop to commemorate the trip by making bowls, utensils, trays, cutting boards and jewelry boxes – whatever the log allows!

Wing Lam (Nicole) Chan is a senior in Aerospace Engineering at MIT and minoring in Computer Science. She is currently doing research at the MIT Aerospace Controls Lab with Prof. Jonathan How on improving multi-agent autonomous trajectory planner via hexacopter drone flight tests. Nicole is passionate about space autonomous systems and systems engineering in long-duration planetary missions. It is her dream to see one of her robotic creations roam the unknown surfaces of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. This is her first time at MDRS and she is stoked to experience lots of firsts on this Martian adventure. Outside of academics, Nicole is an avid sci-fi reader and enjoys playing a wide variety of videogames with friends.

Mars Desert Research Station
Mission Plan

Crew 289 – Deimos
Dec 25th, 2023 – Jan 6th, 2023

Crew Members:
Commander: Adriana Brown
Executive Officer and Crew Journalist: Sara Paule
Crew Geologist: Eshaana Aurora
Crew Engineer: Nathan Bitner
Health and Safety Officer and Crew Astronomer: Gabriel Skowronek
Green Hab Officer and Crew Biologist: Riya Raj
Crew Scientist: Aditya Arjun Anibha

Mission Plan:
The twin “Phobos” (288) and “Deimos” (289) missions are the sixth and seventh all-Purdue crew at MDRS. The enthusiasm and interest raised by the previous experiences of Purdue students and alumni at the station, the numerous high-quality research projects carried on at MDRS, as well as Purdue’s honored tradition in the field of space exploration, allowed us the amazing opportunity to complete two back-to-back rotations. Crew 289’s projects span engineering, astronomy, geology, biology, and human factors fields.

The main objectives of the Deimos analog Martian mission are:
Performing research in the fields of geology, engineering, human factors, astronomy, on Mars.
Experimenting with personnel at Purdue, providing a simulated mission control center to coordinate and support research and operations (including delay in communication, to simulate Earth-Mars distance).
Continuing the fruitful collaboration of Purdue crews with the MDRS program.
Following the mission, supporting MDRS with useful results for future crews.

Crew Projects:

Title: Remote Station Monitoring
Author: Nathan Bitner
Objectives: Demonstrate usefulness of supplying on-site crew and mission control with real time habitat data
Description: This project entails the creation of 10 separate sensor modules. Five of these measure air quality data from the various simulation buildings, and 5 measure the status of the various doors and airlocks on the station. Each of these modules send both manual and automatic updates to an Adafruit monitoring dashboard.
Rationale: In real Mars missions essential life support and other systems would be monitored closely by both crew and mission control. This project allows for the creation of a remote monitoring system that more closely resembles that setup.
EVAs: None

Title: Recording Dust Levels in the HAB
Author(s): Gabriel Skowronek
Objectives: Qualitatively determine the dust levels before and after cleaning procedures
Description: Areas and surfaces in both the upper and lower decks of the HAB will be swabbed using cotton swabs. Then using a handheld magnifier, a qualitative description of the observed dust will be made, which will include details like relative amounts and the type of contaminants (i.e. fibers, dirt/particulates). This will be done at least once a day throughout different locations to see if the amounts of dust vary throughout the crew rotation and where buildup occurs the most. Furthermore, swabbing will be done before and after cleaning procedures to see the effectiveness of cleaning methods.
Rationale: Mars’ surface poses serious risk to human health due to the Martian dust, made up of extremely fine particles. Minimizing the presence of dust in living quarters is a necessary step to reduce dependence on Earth’s supplies and medical interventions, especially given the potential infrequency of resupply missions and limited availability of supplies. This project prioritizes safeguarding the fundamental and most fragile aspect of Mars missions: the health and wellbeing of astronauts.
EVAs: None

Title: Astronomy on Mars
Author(s): Gabriel Skowronek
Objectives: Determine the period of variation for SW Tauri, a Cepheid variable. Furthermore, it will be helpful to make impressive pictures of the Crab and Orion nebulae.
Description: Using the RCOS-16 telescope to conduct photometry, intensity measurements will be made over a two-week period to construct a light-curve of SW Tauri. To conduct astrophotography, the MDRS-WF will be used to capture the Crab and Orion nebulae. To process the images, Astro ImageJ and Adobe Photoshop will be used.
Rationale: Making astronomical measurements of Cepheid variables, such as SW Tauri, prove useful to the field of cosmology due their usefulness in determining cosmological distances. Furthermore, the astrophotography will be used in outreach to show what is capable of being done at MDRS and to inspire others to pursue astronomy at MDRS and in general.
EVAs: None

Title: Comparison of Self-selection Traits versus Skill Utilization by Mars Colonists
Author(s): Sara Paule
Objectives: Examine the skills (e.g., flexibility, leadership, communication, problem-solving, domestic skills, etc.) most commonly used by “colonists” in their day-to-day activities at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) versus their ratings of importance pre- and post-mission.
Description: This study will cross-compare daily usage of skills to those common in crew member volunteers and, post-mission will ask crew members to then rate the importance of skill necessity for success as a “colonist.” Pre-mission surveys have already been completed by the crew. During mission, at the end of each day, crew members will complete a brief 10-minute paper survey on which skills they utilized in their day-to-day activities at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). As time allows, paper survey results will be manually transferred to electronic coding; however, this step can readily be completed post-mission.
Rationale: Space exploration and colonization missions will require their crews to possess a variety of skills to optimize the chances for success. Organizations selecting individuals for such missions look for certain traits within individuals and attempt to diverse across the crew; yet, there are no published rubrics for selection criteria.

Title: Establishing Best Practices in Mission Reporting from Prior Crew Reports
Author(s): Sara Paule
Objective 1: Establish the average word length of the various report styles.
Objective 2: Examine whether crew members are most often referenced by surname/family name, given name, or both.
Objective 3: Determine common subject matters within reports, such as references to meals, sleep, showering, etc.
Description: Examine past MDRS reports on the following priority order:
Journalist Report (daily)
Sol Summary (daily)
Research Report (two-times per mission)
Mission Plan (one-time per mission)
Mission Summary (one-time per mission)
EVA Report (after any EVA)
Usage of a flexible coding technique will allow for addition of new content categories as analysis proceeds for Objective 3. All data will be entered into a spreadsheet to track basic statistics such as counts and averages.
Rationale: Regular reporting between crews and Mission Support is a requirement of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) program and will be essential between Mars colonists and Mission Support on Earth. The MDRS Handbook outlines the schedule for reporting requirements and provides access to templates with some guidance on how to optimally report.

Title: Martian analog paleotemperature reconstruction
Author(s): Adriana Brown
Objectives: Sample a measured section of sediments up the side of Hab Ridge and identify the percent of carbonate present, collect Pycnodonte fossils from the Tununk shale near Hab Ridge and Sea of Shells for carbonate clumped isotope analysis, identify bentonite presence and frequency within the Tununk Shale, and catalog and prepare samples for drilling.
Description: This project will collect sediment samples from the Tununk Shale to study the coastline of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway. Sediments will be collected from a measured section up the face of Hab Ridge. Bivalve fossils will be collected from Hab Ridge and Sea of Shells. The samples collected will provide information about the temperature of the seaway during the time the oysters lived using carbonate clumped isotopes, where the carbonate is sourced from bivalves and foraminifera. At MDRS, the sediment samples will be tested for weight percent carbonate and bivalve fossils cleaned, labeled, and catalogued. At University of Michigan, the geochemistry will be completed post-mission.
Rationale: With the onset of cutting-edge geochemistry, the temperature and dynamics of ancient water systems can be determined better than ever before. Performing analysis on carbonates will be essential to understanding climate history on Mars due to their power to record seawater temperature and isotopic composition – abiotic factors that determine essential biological controls, such as oxygenation and environmental habitability. These results will be integrated into my wider research project which aims to reconstruct latitudinal temperature gradients of the Western Interior Seaway – an important control on climate sensitivity.
EVAs: 3-4 medium – long duration EVAs

Title: Mars Exploration by Origami Robot and Drone Scouting or Transportation
Author(s): Aditya Arjun Anibha
Objectives: Apply the concept of transformable origami robots that can exhibit multiple types of locomotion and test their ability to supplement exploration. Investigate feasibility of transporting robot using drone and scouting locations of interest prior to exploration.
Description: Investigating transforming origami robotics with multiple modes of locomotion by testing and demonstrating their effectiveness for extraterrestrial exploration over conventional wheeled rovers. The robot will also be tested for its efficiency, robustness and endurance in this environment. Tests will be conducted in Chandor Chasma as it has diverse terrain types. The robot will be attached to a Skydio drone and transported to and across Candor Chasma. Alternatively, the drone will be used to impart a vertical force upon to counteract Earth gravity to simulate locomotion conditions similar to those on Mars. The drone has security systems to avoid obstacles and contact with astronauts. A lightweight carrying harness will be tied to the drone to create a safe range to the payload to avoid interfering with the sensors. The drone will also be used to conduct scouting for exploration locations of interest for the robot prior to its excursion.
Rationale: Due to the lack of infrastructure on Mars, unique and adaptable methods of locomotion and robots will likely be needed for initial exploration beyond wheeled rovers. Drones would be useful for supplementing exploration with scouting and transportation.
EVAs: 2-3

Title: Miniaturized Martian Agrivoltaics
Author(s): Eshaana Aurora
Objectives: To comprehensively test the impact of solar and artificial irradiation on crop yields within an enclosed, module-like environment. To understand the feasibility of a miniaturized agrivoltaic farm within the MDRS Greenhab.
Description: The project at hand seeks to create a mini agrivoltaic farm within the Martian Desert Research Station’s (MDRS) Greenhab. This study aims to delve into the realm of agrivoltaics, applying its principles to extraterrestrial greenhouse modules. By studying the impact of solar and artificial irradiation on crop yield within the constraints of a mini agrivoltaic farm in the Martian Desert Research Station’s Greenhab, the project aims to provide insights into optimizing land use efficiency on Mars. The mission plan involves meticulous experiments, data analysis, and the formulation of recommendations to advance sustainable agriculture for future Martian colonies while addressing the challenges posed by potential dust storms.
Rationale: As the world grapples with the ever-increasing relevance of solar energy, a constant dilemma has arisen between allocating land for agriculture and dedicating it to solar energy production. Agrivoltaics, a promising solution, represents a system that seamlessly integrates agricultural practices with solar energy production, thus mitigating the competition between our energy and food requirements. As humanity sets its sights on colonizing Mars, the efficient utilization of land resources becomes a paramount concern.
EVAs: 0

Title: LiDAR Scanning of Terrain

Author(s): Riya Raj
Objectives: Will use phone apps to provide accessible scans of the terrain.
Description: Conducting LiDAR scans of the terrain and plants for structural analysis and plant growth structures
Rationale: Provides civil application for future life support systems and planning for efficient living.
Title: Radiation on Kale:
Author: Riya Raj
Description: Working on sustainable methods of growing veggies using simulations in hydroponics to provide fresh nutrients for the body.
Rationale: Keeping our bodies healthy with essential minerals can help with blood pressure levels, red blood cell production, and digestive health!

Title: Indoor Air Quality
Author: Riya Raj
Objectives: Use sensors to monitor air quality
Description: I will be setting up sensor monitors within the stations to track the levels of CO2, PM 2.5, TVOC, and Ozone to ensure proper ventilation for the crews.
Rationale: Monitoring both indoor/outdoor air quality and ventilation levels is important for human health and performance in any setting. For example, high levels of CO2 can cause nausea and fatigue while high levels of PM 2.5 can cause lung diseases and infections.