Mars Desert Research Station
Mission Summary

Crew 288 – Phobos
Dec 9th, 2023 – Dec 23rd, 2023

Crew Members:
Commander and Crew Astronomer: Dr. Cesare Guariniello
Executive Officer: Riley McGlasson
Crew Geologist: Hunter Vannier
Crew Engineer: Jesus Adrian Meza Galvan
Health and Safety Officer: Jilian Welshoff
Green Hab Officer: Ryan DeAngelis
Crew Journalist: Lipi Roy

Acknowledgements:
The entire Crew of MDRS 288 would like to express their gratitude to the many people who made this mission possible: our deepest thanks to Dr. Robert Zubrin, President of the Mars Society; Sergii Iakymov, MDRS Director, who assisted us in-situ and helped us troubleshooting the little problems we encountered; Dr. Shannon Rupert, who provided research advice and valuable support remotely; James Burk, Executive Director; Peter Detterline, Director of Observatories, who trained and assisted our Crew Astronomer before and during the mission; Michael Stoltz, The Mars Society Liaison, Media and Public Relations; Bernard Dubb, MDRS IT coordinator; Dr. Kshitij Mall and the Purdue Mission Support staff; the Purdue faculty who greatly helped us in the selection process of Crews 288 and 288 (Phobos and Deimos); all the departments and people at Purdue University and the external sponsors who supported this mission; and all the unnamed people who work behind the scene to make this effort possible, and who gave us a chance to be an active part of the effort towards human exploration of Mars.

Mission description and outcome:
MDRS 288 “Phobos”, twin of mission 289 “Deimos”, is the sixth all-Purdue crew at MDRS. The mission was characterized by very high research quality –despite one project having to be cancelled due to delay in approval by the IRB– and extremely good performance both from a professional and a personal perspective. The diverse crew, including three women and four men, representing four countries and various departments at Purdue, and comprised of undergraduate students, Master’s students, PhD candidates, and professional staff, accurately represented Purdue’s honored tradition in the field of space exploration.
Crew 288 performed various research tasks, with a strong geological focus evident in the many EVAs covering all areas of MDRS and in the amount and quality of samples and scientific data collected. Engineering experiment, astronomical observations, and other research projects concerned with Mars exploration and the operations of astronauts on planetary surfaces were also successfully conducted.
The crew is planning to continue working on the data collected during this mission, to support the twin mission “Deimos”, and to participate in various outreach events, in order to spread awareness about MDRS missions and to foster awareness and passion for space exploration.

Figure 1. MDRS 288 Crew posing in front of the habitat. Left to right: GreenHab Officer Ryan DeAngelis, Commander and Crew Astronomer Cesare Guariniello, Health and Safety Officer Jilian Welshoff, Crew Geologist Hunter Vannier, Executive Officer (and Crew Pirate) Riley McGlasson, Crew Journalist Lipi Roy, and Crew Engineer Jesus Meza Galvan

As commander, I am personally extremely proud of this crew, which was capable to keep the highest level of fidelity and realism, without losing sight of the importance of light moments. After passing a rigorous two-phase internal selection process at Purdue, the crew followed training and bonding activities with passion and commitment. At MDRS, the crew properly followed safety and research protocols, performed as a tight group, and found an appropriate mix of research activities and personal time. Every crew member has been attentive to other people’s needs, respectful of differences, conscious of own and others’ goals and shortcomings, flexible and willing to learn and improve. The pace kept throughout the mission was a solid mix of long, fruitful, and professionally conducted EVAs, work in the laboratory and in the RAM, and slower-tempo personal and communal time in the habitat.

Summary of Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA)
After being trained in the use of rovers and in the safety protocols for EVA, the crew had ten excursions during rotation 288, two of which being the traditional short EVAs to Marble Ritual. The remaining EVAs were long excursion, where the crew greatly maximized time usage, especially the time spent walking and performing field activities, which was in average 92% of the total EVA time. The EVAs reached areas in the Mancos Shale (Skyline Rim), Morrison Formation (mostly along Cow Dung Rd), Dakota Sandstone (Candor Chasma), and looked into the Somerville Formation (Somerville Overlook). The EVA served multiple research projects and were used to train crew members who were unexperienced in geologic field work.

Table 1. Summary of EVA, indicating Sol of execution, total duration and distance covered, time and distance spent walking and performing activities, and time percentage spent in activities outside driving.

Figure 2. Satellite map of the EVAs performed by MDRS 288 crew and of the Station points where samples were collected

Summary of GreenHab Activities
Crew GreenHab Officer: Ryan DeAngelis
The GreenHab is in excellent condition. A lot of things have just been growing and maturing this rotation, with a few exceptions with various herbs and kale. A few of the cucumbers struggled a bit at the midpoint of the mission, exhibiting slowed growth and scarring on the stalks. This, however, was identified as growth marks perhaps exacerbated by slightly too much fertilizer. They are healthy and growing a lot as of the end of this mission. The tomato plants, planted by Crew 287, were caged and trimmed, and we even observed some small green tomatoes growing. In addition to harvesting fresh herbs daily for use in meals, we were able to create several small salads of arugula, kale, and lettuce. We planted more peas, mint, rosemary, carrots, and fennel for hopeful harvest and enjoyment by Crew 289. Overall, the GreenHab provided plenty of herbs and spices, as well as a fantastic place to de-stress for many crew members.

Science Summary
We had 9 separate projects that covered a range of topics. Some of them were EVA-related, while others were conducted at MDRS campus. One project was not conducted because IRB approval was not received in time. Overall, each project uniquely highlighted each crewmember’s strength and expertise, and expanded scientific, engineering, and human factor knowledge to support crewed exploration of Mars.

Research Projects:

Title: Noninvasive search for water
Author: Riley McGlasson
Description, activities, and results: GPR observations were taken at Watney Road, Compass Rock, Brahe Highway, and Hab Ridge. During EVA 3 two 3D GPR grids were taken at the turnoff to Watney Road (WR). One of these was a smaller 15’x15’ grid with 3’ spacing above the dry stream bed, which we used to train the rest of the EVA crew in how to conduct GPR surveys. The second WR grid (WR02) was 36’x36’ with 3’ spacing. WR02 encompassed the dry stream bed and adjacent sandy material. Six total 2D transects were also taken at three sample sites at Kissing Camel Ridge. Unfortunately, there was an error with the radar’s survey wheel, so none of these observations are usable. After EVA 3, this error was fixed, and more data was able to be collected during the remaining 3 GPR EVAs. During these, 100’ x 100’ 3D grids were taken with 10’ spacing at the survey sites, along with an additional 2D transect was taken across ~300’ of material in the same region for quicker analysis. We confirmed that the survey wheel error was fixed, and initial analysis of the 2D transect of the Compass Rock site produces reasonable velocity values for a damp sandy material. The 3D grids will be analyzed back on Earth and compared with spectroscopy data taken at the same sites.

Title: Refining orbital data with in-situ analysis
Author(s): Hunter Vannier
Description, activities, and results: Objectives of this study were to compare grain size predictions from orbital data to in situ observations, assess effectiveness of boulder sampling at the base of Kissing Camel Ridge in obtaining representative samples of upper units, and obtain and determine origin of volcanic rocks in the south.
Conducted EVAs to Barainca Butte, Kissing Camel Ridge and Hab Ridge to achieve these objectives. Boulder and grain size analyses were conducted during two EVAs to the Kissing Camel Ridge, which have been compared to orbital estimates. Some grain-size estimates were accurate, but subtleties in the orbital data were not appreciated until on foot, (ex. disproportionate darkening of orbital images from small cobbles). When sampling boulders at base at Kissing Camel and Hab Ridge, the top stratigraphic unit often dominated and other lithologies were not present (most converted to soil). Overall, sampling boulders was useful in obtaining samples from layers otherwise unreachable, but picking sites with less vs. more diversity of boulders was not accurately predicted.
We obtained spectra and samples of at least three igneous units (basaltic andesite, andesite, diorite) transported fluvially to the Barainca Butte area from both Henry Mountains and Capitol Reef. Near Barainca we identified a very high concentration of volcanic rocks in that area that were generally absent in regions north of Zubrin’s head. The fluvial pathway from source to MDRS is still not understood.
Spectra and samples have also been obtained within GPR grids to complement the radar data set with spectral and geologic characterization of the top ~5 cm of unique units within each grid. Preliminary spectral analysis of a site atop Hab Ridge within grey soil devoid of plants yielded a surface crust that appeared like significantly hydrated clay, yet the subsurface that yielded the majority of material appeared to have little hydration. There was also diversity in forms and depths of gypsum, some of which showed signs of oxidation. Not only does this compliment the science goals of radar, but is an important consideration when evaluating hydration of soils at depth for in-situ resource utilization.

Figure 4. (A): Obtaining spectrum of large rounded vesicular basaltic boulder. Red arrows points to abundant igneous rocks in the vicinity, Barainca Butte in the background. (B): Sampling station containing igneous rocks with multiple lithologies.

Title: Remote sensing for ISRU
Author(s): Cesare Guariniello
Description, activities, and results: The goal of this project is to test the use of remote sensing performed in various locations to support advanced In-Situ Resource Utilization. In particular, assessment of mineralogy via remote sensing will provide information about material abundance. Laboratory study of thermal inertia and its correlation with bulk size (sandy vs. rocky) will add one more variable to the study. Thermal Inertia is correlated to particle size and cohesiveness of the material, which in turn suggests the most appropriate tools to effectively collect the material for processing. Water content is assessed via the analysis of the depth of absorption bands in the spectra. This year’s focus has been on consolidated clay rocks. Samples have been collected for this project in the vicinity of Barainca Butte, at the foot of Skyline Rim, and along Galileo Road between Compass Rock and Somerville Overlook. These samples will be subject to experiments related to water content.

Title: Semiconductor processing
Author(s): Jesus Meza-Galvan
Description, activities, and results: The project was focused on the feasibility of basic semi-conductor manufacturing at the station. Two main experiments were conducted to explore silicon-oxide growth, and photolithography. The goal of the first experiment was to determine if oxide growth is possible in one of the lab ovens. A set of silicon samples were placed inside Oven #1 as shown in Figure 5a. A graduated flask with 1 liter of water was placed inside the oven just beneath the samples to maintain a high moisture environment. The samples were then annealed at a maximum oven temperature of 250 °C for a total of 2 hours, 4 hours, and 8 hours. Quantitative analysis of the oxide films will be performed using ellipsometry at Purdue. Qualitatively, there is no visual distinction between the samples indicating little to no oxide was formed. This is as expected given the temperature of the oven was lower than the typical growth temperature of silicon-dioxide in the range of 400 – 800 °C. In order to reliably grow oxide at the station, the oven temperatures must be increased. For the second experiment, a set of silicon samples with a photo-sensitive polymer (photoresist) was prepared prior to coming to MDRS. The laminar flow hood was outfitted to perform UV-exposure of photoresist as shown in Figure 5b. A Dremel stand was used as a makeshift photo-aligner to hold a handheld UV lamp at a constant distance away from the sample and perform controlled UV exposures of the resist as shown in figure 5c. A set of samples with varying exposure time, and varying working distance were made. Qualitatively, the experiment produced several good exposures of a microscope calibration pattern onto the photoresist layer. The success of the procedure will be determined quantitatively by measuring the dimensions of the samples produced against a calibrated microscope at Purdue.

Figure 5. Semiconductor Processing at MDRS. a) Silicon-oxide growth experiment in Oven #1. b) Photolithography set up inside laminar flow hood. c) Photolithography exposure.

Title: Reducing stress in isolated environment
Author(s): Lipi Roy, Ryan DeAngelis, Jilian Welshoff
Description, activities, and results: The crew consulted some of the sensors brought to MDRS for this project. However, formal research was not conducted, and test surveys were not administered, because IRB approval was not received in time for the mission.

Title: Astrophotography with the MDRS WF and Solar Observatory outreach
Author(s): Cesare Guariniello
Description, activities, and results:
Solar Observatory: visual observations on one day with the Crew Engineer and the Journalist. Various small problems with the telescope (modified Home Station, and some components left out of place by previous crews) were solved. The observatory bottom shutter also had to be troubleshot. All days not spent on EVA were at least partly cloudy during the day, thus preventing further solar observations.
Astrophotography: MDRS-WF was used to produce high-quality photos of M31 (Andromeda Galaxy), Barnard 33 (Horsehead Nebula), Leo Triplet, M42 (Orion Nebula), M1 (Crab Nebula) and some photos of smaller galaxy with quality that could be improved in postprocessing. Further WCS data are necessary to align images from the MLC-ROS16 telescope.

Title: Station monitoring
Author(s): Jesus Meza Galvan and Jilian Welshoff (proposed by Nathan Bitner – MDRS 289)
Description, activities, and results: The goal of this project is to study what information is most useful to analog astronauts during missions, as well as how this information is leveraged for day-to-day mission planning. A prototype of the sensor payload was completed which integrates temperature, humidity, VOC, CO2, and dust particle sensors with a raspberry-pi and battery package. The sensors have been coded by Purdue mission support who will remotely collect environmental data. Crew 289 will continue the project and create additional sensor payloads to place one monitoring station in each of the MSRS modules, as well as sensors on the air locks to determine if they are closed.

Title: Samples transportation with drones
Author(s): Cesare Guariniello
Description, activities, and results: In past missions at MDRS, drones have been used to prospect potential areas of geological interest. This conceptual project had the goal to prove the feasibility and usefulness of using a drone to transport payloads from the station to astronauts in EVA and vice versa. The capability of the drone to carry small payloads while maintaining maneuverability and safety was successfully tested before the mission. During the mission, part of the EVA to Skyline Rim (EVA #5) was spent in surveying the Hab Ridge for suitable locations for this experiment. Later, two crew members were trained in drone piloting, so as to be able to operate the small drone under the supervision of a crew member who holds a drone pilot license. During EVA #9, the drone was launched from the station with a small rock sample and a message onboard. Both items were received by the EVA astronauts, that successfully used the drone to return a rock sample to the station. The drone was then sent back with a food sample (representative of potential use of a drone to provide tools or support to astronauts on EVA), used by the EVA crew to record footage of the GPR experiment, before being flown back once more to the station.

Title: Chez Phobos
Author(s): Lipi Roy (et al.)
Objectives: Creating new recipes with shelf-stable food at MDRS
Description and Results: Crew 288 members proved that it was quite possible to create healthy, tasty recipes from shelf-stable food items at MDRS habitat. Many new recipes were successfully implemented and very much appreciated by the MDRS members. Riley’s Hab-burger, Ryan’s Pad-Thai and carrot cake, Cesare’s Italian pizza and baked ziti, Jilian’s Mujadara, Hunter’s spam fried rice and tuna-tomato pasta, Jesus’s Spanish rice, and my chickpea curry, kidney beans curry, and potato parathas; all created with minimal outside ingredients! For example, our ‘meal of the mission’ – spam fried rice was prepared using rice, dehydrated eggs, spam, dehydrated onions, dehydrated tomatoes, soy sauce, chilli peppers, salt, garlic powder, black pepper; all available in the hab!

FINAL REPORT – MDRS 286

Nov 12–24, 2023

Roger Gilbertson – Commander
Donald Jacques – XO, Engineer
Liz Cole – HSO, Journalist
Guillaume Gégo – Scientist
Scott Beibin – Artist
Hugo Saugier – Documentary

Our diverse, creative and dedicated crew carried out a broad range of science, technology, and art projects including:

• Bacterial growth experiment helpful for creating closed-loop life support systems
• An extended range EVA using the MASH (Mobile Analog Space Habitat) vehicle
• Technology demonstrations collecting and studying some in situ resources
• LiDAR scanning of campus structures and local geological features
• Simulation and comparison of music as it would sound on Mars and Earth
• Metal casting and component fabrication
• Extensive videography of all aspects of habitat and EVA operations
• Daily media updates
• Daily monitoring of the environmental and life systems aboard the MASH
• Hosted two NY Times photojournalists for four nights who remained fully “in sim” with us

PROJECT 1: CO2 Fixation by Purple Bacteria for Space Food Production – Gégo

Purple bacteria Rhodospirillum rubrum were grown inside low-cost bag photobioreactors to assess the possibility of mass-production in altered gravity. This can provide CO2 absorption and production of important nutritional supplements for humans on Earth and Mars.

OD measurements between SOL 3 and 5. Growth is visible and follows known trends. Similar experiments will be performed at the University of Mons to confirm these results.

After nine days of steady growth it reached a stationary phase, indicating they had reached their peak. Samples were collected regularly, and are being returned to Belgium for analysis.

PROJECT 2: Performing Extended Extra-Vehicular Activities Using a Mobile Analog Space Habitat – Jacques

MASH EVA 11 excursion on Sol 11 lasted three-hours. We drove the vehicle south to Kissing Camel Ridge and parked. Liz and Guilliame exited and walked acquired drone footage of interesting cliff formations. Hugo and Don recorded the MASH at rest and driving.

An unexpected engine warning light led to a spacesuited excursion to successfully service the engine, while remaining fully in-sim.

PROJECT 3: Creating High Resolution Interactive Digital Assets of MDRS and Local Geological Sites Using 3D Scanning techniques – Beibin

I conducted four successful LiDAR scanning EVAs on geological features and MDRS campus buildings. With each excursion, various technical and procedural problems were identified, and solutions were implemented. This gave increasingly improved results with each EVA.

PROJECT 4: Producing Functional Artifacts Using Local Clay Resources and a 3D Extrusion Printer – Beibin

On EVA 4 we gathered clay near the Science Dome, but given time constraints and limited water resources, no further processing of the clay was performed. The samples will be taken to my lab in Philadelphia to process and create test 3D extrusions.

PROJECT 5: Using Local Gypsum Resources to Produce Molds for Metal Casting — Gilbertson

Since learning that previous missions had processed local gypsum into plaster, I used commercially prepared material in order to focus on casting. One mold pair produced four castings (one had structural problems and was melted and recast). The final pieces were trimmed and assembled into a tensegrity icosahedron using six elastic bands to suspended them without touching.

Left: Final cast parts and bands. Right: Assembled tensegrity icosahedron.

PROJECT 6: Mars Academy – A Documentary Film About ESA Scientist Claude Chipaux and the Past, Present and Future of Mars Life Sciences – Saugier

Filming an analog reality is quite a challenge when you’re making a documentary, but from the number of situations it generated on a daily basis, from EVAs to group discussions, brainstorming sessions and so on, I can say I’m bringing back some interesting footage in my suitcase. The other crew members were really available and willing to participate in the project, always keeping an eye on what they could bring to the table, which was really appreciated as a filmmaker. Even though I was busy almost every day, I also tried to help the others as much as I could.

As for the more technical aspects, I found it hard to handle all the shots by myself, but with good quality equipment and a few points learned in the field, it became somehow doable. The hardest things were the sound and shooting in the sun with the reflections from the helmet (but I found the suit in itself wasn’t that big of a deal). However, I always prefer challenge to comfort, so I was very excited to look for tricks to adapt my camera rig to the conditions. Being totally immersed in a mission, in addition to being a great human adventure, was the right approach, in my opinion, to get the most relevant footage of an MDRS analog mission.

Beyond these personal considerations, and as the grandson of one of the founders of the MELiSSA project, I was particularly fascinated by the works of Guillaume Gégo and Donald Jacques on life support systems. The way they think about how to supply not only space expeditions, but also multiple potential locations on Earth, has something that makes you dream of beautiful future explorations on the one hand, and stay connected to our immediate and urgent realities on the other. Not only did I find their works very relevant, despite their very different schools and ways of thinking, but they are exactly the kind of people I needed in the project to make a narrative connection between my grandfather’s story and analog missions.

Thanks to this stay here at MDRS, I’m happy to say that I somehow lived my grandfather’s dream: to experience Martian life, even if it was simulated, because I think that setting the context is enough to give you the first hint of what some real Martian sensations could be.

PROJECT 7: Simulating Acoustics of Mars for an Outdoor Martian Music Performance – Beibin

Using data published in Nature [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04679-0] and from NASA [https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/participate/sounds] I collaborated with audio engineer John Knott to create a digital audio filter that accurately simulates how sound travels on Mars.

I conducted three Ptelepathetique performance. The first at night inside the Science Dome. Then a “sunrise” set north of the Observatory Dome, and then a “sunset” show east of the dome.

Each presented a musical audio comparison demonstrating the differences between sounds we would hear on Earth versus on Mars with its thinner, colder atmosphere.

Scott performs as listeners at the dome enclosure enjoy audio as we might hear it on Mars.

PROJECT 8: Documenting the MDRS Mission 286 Adventure in Words and Images – Cole

I recorded interviews with Guillaume and Scott regarding their experiments and creations. We arranged for two live conversations, one with Mars Society Belgium, then one with Journal des Enfants a children’s publication to inspire future astronauts and scientists. The MS Belgium event led to an interview with science publication Athena.

We provided visiting NY Times photojournalists with captions for their images, and very much enjoyed their five day / four night visit.

PROJECT 9: Evaluating Performance of Biological Life Support Components Installed within the Mobile Analog Space Habitat – Jacques

Upon arrival and docking at MDRS, the MASH mini-farm was populated by by two (2) operating PhotoBioreactors with Spirulina culture; approximately 55 blue tilapia, twelve (12) quail, 100 meal worms, 100 red wiggler worms, a garden, and marsh. By the end of the first week, I noted challenges in that I had added too many quail at once, and the consequences were the loss of 65 tilapia, and an overabundance of guano and odors. Despite this, each of the components functioned as designed, even though overloaded. I have much to correct as I look forward to growing the system, and improving its functionality and resilience.

Don services the MASH vehicle while remaining fully in-sim.

CONCLUSION
We enjoyed a challenging, diverse, multifaceted, and ultimately extremely memorable, rewarding and enriching experience at MDRS. On to Mars!

Crew 286 Sol 03 Summary Report 15-NOV-2023
Sol: 03
Summary Title: “Can You Hear Me Now? Over.”
Author’s name: Roger Gilbertson
Mission Status: Nominal
Sol Activity Summary: Early in the morning the science lab started the bacterial growth experiment, having the tools, bio samples, and the hydrogen gas produced on Sol 1, which serves as an electron source for the organism growth.
In the morning, text messages were exchanged with the New York Times photographers who have recently arrived on Mars from Earth, and who are expected to join us at our Habitat about 9 AM tomorrow.
After breakfast the entire team gathered to review videos of the radio training session which were recorded on Sol 0. Extensive notes were made, and additional discussion of communications protocols, astronaut and diver hand signals, were provided by team members having experience with proper, efficient radio techniques as used by military and police. We outlined possible scenarios for a variety of nominal (green), off-nominal (yellow or “issue”), and emergency (red or “problem") situations, and reviewed preferred vocabulary and grammar.
After lunch, the crew continued the radio practice by reading aloud simple scripts for various scenarios. We focused on maximizing clarity through proper technique, simplicity of messaging, and use of correct terminology. We then separated into groups, with CapCom inside, and the EVA Team by the observatory dome. Using live radios the teams improvised a variety of “issue” and “problem” scenarios, with crew members alternating positions as EVA team members, EVA leaders, CapCom, and Missions Support.
In the late afternoon, the first bacterial samples were taken, and more hydrogen was produced.
Look Ahead Plan: We plan to meet the visiting photographers in the morning of Sol 4, and welcome them at the rear airlock. After moving them in, we will provide orientation for their stay, including airlock and tunnel protocols, restroom use, then let them settle in. In the afternoon we propose an engineering EVA to 1) wash the exterior windows using a squeegee attached to a long pole in order to improve visibility, and 2) collect local clay samples, and 3) photograph a memorial image of a recently deceased Mars Society member.
We will suggest that the visitors photograph the EVA from inside the habitat and tunnels, and capture activities inside the Science Dome and RAM. On Sol 5, we plan to train them on EVA protocols in the morning, then take them on a short EVA to Marble Ritual in the afternoon.
Anomalies in work: none
Weather: nominal
Crew Physical Status: nominal
EVA: none today, request for EVA 4 submitted for tomorrow
Reports to be filed: Sol Summary, Journalist report, Photos, Operations report, Green Hab report, EVA 4 Request.
Support Requested: longest paint pole available to be attached to our window cleaning squeegee for EVA 4.

Commander David Mateus
Executive Officer and Astronomer Luis Diaz
Health and Safety Officer Andrea De La Torre
Crew Engineer Tomas Burroni
Green Hab Officer Andres Reina
Crew Journalist Marina Busqueras

The mission at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) was led by Commander David Mateus with a team of experts including Executive Officer and Astronomer Luis Díaz, Health and Safety Officer Andrea De La Torre, Crew Engineer Tomás Burroni, Green Hab Officer Andrés Reina, and Crew Journalist Marina Buqueras, embodied a significant stride in demonstrating global cooperation in space exploration. The crew, of Hispanic descent from various Latin American countries and Spain, aimed to enhance the inclusivity in space missions, motivating underrepresented communities to engage in STEM fields.
The projects tackled during the mission were diverse, ranging from engineering and safety protocols to sociological studies:
Early Fault Detection in Power Generator Systems: Addressing the critical need for uninterrupted power supply, the mission focused on preventive and predictive maintenance of the power generation system. A sensor kit was developed and installed on the station’s propane power generator to monitor vibrations and predict potential failures. Despite minor software issues, the successful deployment of the sensor kit during an EVA and subsequent data collection provided valuable insights into the generator’s performance, paving the way for the integration of such predictive maintenance systems in future missions.

Drone-Aided Martian Geolocation through Image Recognition: With the absence of a global navigation system on Mars, the mission explored the use of drone-captured images and image recognition algorithms to pinpoint the crew’s location relative to the base. The software, developed in Python with OpenCV, underwent successful trials using satellite imagery to test the algorithm’s robustness across various Martian terrains.

Drone Search and Rescue: The mission demonstrated using drones to search for crew members and navigate Martian terrain, ensuring safety and effective rescue operations. The trials confirmed that drones could provide alternative routes and communicate with the base in emergencies, possibly with both manual and automatic control modes.

Building materials for future Mars civilizations: The characteristics of the MDRS soil are suitable for creating construction materials using simple and readily available ingredients. The combination of simulated Martian dust, starch, and water has proven to produce a robust material with properties akin to conventional concrete. This innovative approach can simplify and reduce the cost of future space missions, paving the way for infrastructure construction on the red planet.

Methodology for the Characterization of the Social Implications of Confinement and Isolation: Drawing on the sociological and anthropological theories of Durkheim and Foucault, the mission studied the social dynamics within the crew. By identifying patterns of group cohesion and the sacred-profane dichotomy, the research provided a framework for understanding social structures in long-term space travel.

Techniques for Increasing the Signal-Noise Ratio in Processing Deep Space Images: Addressing the challenges in capturing deep space objects, the mission proposed methods to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio in astrophotography. The successful application of these techniques on a range of celestial bodies demonstrated their potential to improve deep-space imagery.

Generation of 3D Maps and Orthomosaics of Explored Canyons: Drones were used to optimize navigation during EVAs to create 3D models and maps of Martian canyons. The resulting data enhanced the safety and efficiency of future EVAs by providing detailed geographic information and identifying optimal access routes.

Each project represented a critical aspect of the mission, contributing to its overall success. The power system fault detection initiative established a foundation for future maintenance protocols, while the drone-aided geolocation and search and rescue operations enhanced the crew’s safety protocols. The sociological study provided insights into the potential organization of human groups in extraplanetary environments, which is essential for the long-term success of space missions. The advancements in astrophotography and 3D mapping served immediate operational needs and equipped future missions with refined methodologies and technologies.

In summary, the mission at MDRS served as a multifaceted endeavor that pushed the boundaries of current space exploration capabilities. It brought together technical innovation and social science to address the challenges of long-term space habitation. The projects undertaken during the mission have laid a solid foundation for future research and development in the field of astronautics, ensuring that subsequent missions to Mars and beyond are safer, more efficient, and inclusive.

Project 1: The sensor kit was successfully placed in the generator during an EVA. This allowed the engineer to evaluate their fine motor skills while wearing the full EVA suit. Since then, the sensors have been collecting data every night, which so far has been used mainly for debugging the data collection and analysis scripts.

Project 2: The script to recognize the drone image within the larger satellite image is currently in progress, and tests using real data have already started. The real data comes from two EVAs of the Candor Chasma. Having data from two EVAs provide different light conditions on the images to test the robustness of the algorithms. In the next few days the crew will collect more datasets from different areas in order to finish fine tuning the algorithm.

Project 3: A drone will be used for search and rescue, along with specific signs of communication (indications), tomorrow on an EVA in el Dorado Canyon

Project 4: The 3D mapping project using drones and the generation of digital pathways based on them is operating effectively and was successfully tested during EVA 3 and 4.

Project 5: nothing to report

Project 6: For the Mars construction materials project, We have been working with various soil samples collected from strategic locations in the area. Initially, rice-based starch was prepared within the ScienceDome and later combined with the three sieved soil samples to produce three concrete bricks with distinct properties. The three brick units were crafted through the amalgamation of 100 grams of soil and 6 grams of starch, followed by a 4-hour baking process to enhance their structural strength. Subsequently, strength tests will be conducted on the three Martian concrete pieces

Project 7: The Deep Space Observatory project is proving to be successful, capturing various objects daily and testing proposed processing methods to emulate different palettes that typically include the oxygen 3 band, which the observatory’s telescope doesn’t encompass. It aims to test processes that increase the signal-to-noise ratio. The solar observation project commenced today, experimenting with processing methods to extract the halo around solar flares from the chromosphere

Crew 281 Mission Summary
Date: 05/26/2023
As the final MDRS Crew of the season, Team Pegasus (Crew 281) finished the season strong:
doing 13 EVAs, running the Ham Radio for 6 days including the first Morse code contact, kept
the GreenHab operational, conducted 4 geotechnical surveys of the area, 19 drone payload tests
and other experiments. The five person team successfully maintained the Hab and conducted
operations for all 12 sols of the mission. Here is the team:
● Megan Kane: Commander and GreenHab Officer
● Ritupriya (Ritu) Patil: Executive Officer
● Rachel Jones: Health Safety Officer
● Ana Pires: Crew Scientist
● KC Shasteen: Crew Engineer
The 12 Sol mission was packed with research, testing and operational tasks. The team did take
the time to enjoy the mission and time together with good food from the three cooks: KC, Megan
and Ritu.

Mars Desert Research Station Facilities:

The team utilized most of the facilities over the course of the mission.

The Science Dome was home to several experiments. In the grow tent, 75 Cacao (Chocolate) seeds of 2 varieties were sprouted. Started on Sol 1, by Sol 12 the cotyledons had begun to emerge. The workspace was used to test and prepare the equipment for the geotechnical surveys and examine the samples. Additionally, the team supported maintaining the algae experiment from Crew 261. Lastly, Team Pegasus recorded several STEM educational videos there.

In the GreenHab, the commander and crew engineer worked to keep the plants alive late into the increasing heat. Both having experience with greenhouses and vertical farms, they worked to decrease the rising temperatures and increase the humidity for the plants. This was met with limited success due to availability of materials. The watering test conducted by the commander went well.

The Repair and Maintenance (RAM) module was used to support many activities including drone flights, geotechnical device repair, and the radio setup. Additionally, the tools available were used in the Hab, Science Dome, GreenHab, and on EVA. Several days into the mission the RAM shopvac took up residence in the Hab due to the Hab Shopvac being inoperable.

In the Hab, a multitude of activities occurred. Downstairs the team prepared for EVAs and set up the Radio. The HSO is also a HAM radio operator (KO4HLC) she has made more than 50 contacts and completed the first known Morse Code contact from MDRS. She is currently working on updating the guidance for future radio operators. Upstairs was communal space. Here the team planned EVAs, filed reports and made delicious food.

Research updates

The team prepared multiple research projects to conduct over the course of the mission. See a summary of each in the sections below.

Geological-Geotechnical Surveys

The crew scientist proposed a series of geotechnical surveys to improve understanding of the geology near the Mars Desert Research Station and test the use of standard equipment in an analog environment. Over the course of 4 EVAs, 950 measurements were taken by the 2 geotechnical devices used to conduct the surveys. These measurements combined with samples taken for analysis and the aerial footage from the drone provides an extensive amount of information about the areas surveyed. There is a paper already under development related to the surveys during the mission.

Rock Sampling device test

The Pegasus Scoop was designed and built as a component for a larger robotic system. The crew scientist brought the scoop from Portugal for testing in a realistic environment. The scoop successfully performed its function. It will later be incorporated into a larger system.

Drone Payload testing

The drone brought by the executive officer was used for aerial footage and to conduct payload delivery tests while on EVA and to an EVA deploying from the Astronomy dome. Wind conditions limited the amount of testing completed. A total of 19 test flights were conducted with 17 being completed. The remaining 2 flights had to be aborted due to wind conditions mid-flight.

Passive watering tests

The passive watering system brought by the commander consisted of terracotta spikes with 500 mL plastic water bottles. On Sol 1 the 10 spikes were deployed into planters deep enough to utilize the spikes. The spikes were refilled when the bottles went dry, the spikes never went dry. This provided constant water flow directly to the plant’s roots. The remaining planters were assessed for their watering needs and watered as required. The total amount of watering done via both methods was collected.

Luxury crop sprouting test – Cacao

There were three cacao (chocolate) pods of different varieties of cacao brought to MDRS. They included 2 varieties of Trinitario (Red and Yellow) and Jaca a variant of Forastero. The seeds and seedlings require heat and humidity to sprout. On Sol 1 the three pods were opened, the seeds cleaned and set out for germination in trays on moist paper towels. On Sol 3 the seeds were rinsed and transferred to fresh paper towels. On Sol 5 the individual pots were prepared and the seeds showing signs of germination were planted. On Sol 10 multiple seeds showed signs they would be sprouting their cotyledons shortly. The first cotyledons were visible on Sol 12. Seeds were watered every day and the temperature and humidity monitored.

In Conclusion

The 12 Sol mission was a success from a research and outreach perspective. Team Pegasus looks forward to working together in the future and continuing the research started here.

Final Mission Summary

Transatlantic Mars Crew 261

 May 12, 2023

JAMES BURK | Commander

ALINE DECADI | Executive Officer + Crew Astronomer

CÉCILE RENAUD | Greenhab Officer + Crew Biologist

JULIEN VILLA-MASSONE | Crew Engineer

ERIN KENNEDY | Crew Robotics Engineer

AUDREY DEROBERTMASURE | HSO & Medical Officer

KRIS DAVIDSON | Crew Journalist

Crew 280 Mission Summary

The Crew

The Hypatia I crew is an interdisciplinary and multigenerational team composed of 9 women selected to participate in an analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) between 16-29 April, 2023. Their names and backgrounds are presented below.

• Mariona Badenas-Agustí (Crew Commander & Crew Astronomer): Degree in Astrophysics from Yale University, a master’s degree in Astrophysics, Cosmology, and High Energy Physics from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and a Ph.D candidate in Planetary Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She spends much of her free time giving educational lectures on the universe and space exploration.

• Carla Conejo González (Crew Executive Officer & Crew Biologist): Degree in Human Biology by the Pompeu Fabra University, a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical and Biotechnological Industry by the same university, and a postgraduate’s degree in Science Communication by the University of Vic. Cofounder of the science-travel app Polaris. Former head of Science Programs at the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera.

• Dr. Ariadna Farrés Basiana (Crew Scientist & Health and Safety Officer): Specialist in astrodynamics, celestial mechanics and solar sails at the Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA (USA). She has participated in the launch of the James Webb telescope. She holds a PhD in mathematics from the University of Barcelona (Spain).

• Dr. Neus Sabaté (Mission Specialist): ICREA researcher at the Barcelona Institute of Microelectronics (IMB-CNM-CSIC). Co-founder of Fuelium, a spin-off company dedicated to the development of sustainable paper batteries for disposable portable devices. Her research has been recognized by institutions such as the European Research Council and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Currently, she is working on the development of rapid and affordable molecular devices for the global detection of infectious diseases.

• Dr. Laia Ribas (GreenHab Officer): Leader of the Repro-Immune Team research group at the Institute of Marine Sciences of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), where she investigates interactions between the reproduction and immune system of fish. She is part of the Nüwa team, an award-winning project for the design of a city for 1M inhabitants on Mars. She has a PhD in biology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

• Cesca Cufí Prat (Crew Engineer): Aerospace engineer at Airbus Defence & Space and specialist in orbital control systems. Her work focuses on the control of high-precision instruments for Earth observation. Passionate about mountaineering, with a good command of risk management and survival techniques in extreme environments.

• Núria Jar (Crew Journalist): Science and health journalist with 15 years of experience in some of the most important media outlets in Catalonia and Spain, such as Catalunya Ràdio, TV3, La Vanguardia, Rac1, El País, Muy Interesante, and Revista 5W. She is the author of the podcast audio series “Human Condition” and “The Female Scientists of COVID”.

• Anna Bach (Back-up Crew Scientist & Artist in Residence): Data analyst, mathematician, and computer scientist. In addition, she is the creator and illustrator of comic strips on her profile Annet Planet, where she has more than 40,000 followers.

• Helena Arias (Back-up Crew Engineer): Undergraduate student majoring in mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, and physics at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and the National University of Distance Education. She is also an engineering intern at the Alba Synchrotron as well as an Olympic shooting elite athlete.

Some Interesting Facts

• Some of the songs played through the radios for the astronauts 5-minutes waiting to go outside for an extravehicular activity (EVA) in the airlock: Rocket Man (Elton John), Starman (David Bowie) Flowers (Miley Cyrus), Cold Heart (Elton John & Dua Lipa), Surfin’ USA ( Beach Boys), Desaparecido (Manu Chao), No hi ha camí (Sopa de Cabra), Ladies Night (Kool & The Gang), My Girl (Dafunkis).

• Three showers per person in 12 SOLs, but daily personal hygiene.

• Seven homemade breads and 25 moka express pots done by the end of SOL 12.

• Favorite dehydrated food: Cheesy Broccoli Soup Mix from Augason Farms.

• An average of 6 hours of sleep every day.

• 1.19 gallons (4.5 liters) of pee recollected from the crew members for the Martian batteries experiments.

• Two star nights in the Musk Telescope & three dancing party nights, two of them in the lower deck.

• Two piñata’s: one astronaut and one shiny star (SOL 5 & SOL 11).

• Two small mice were set free from a mouse trap that had been set in the GreenHab (SOL 8 & SOL 11).

• Northern Lights were seen from the Mars Research Desert Station (MDRS) in the night sky (SOL 7).

• The Crew Commander completed another orbit around the Earth, but from Mars (SOL 11).

za

Daily Life at the MDRS

The Hypatia I crew tracked their daily SOL on Mars, so there is much information about their water consumption, the GreenHab harvest and the numbers of extravehicular activities (EVA).

Operations summary

The Mission Specialist Neus Sabaté and the Crew Engineer Cesca Cufí were in charge of the Operations Reports. One of the data that surprises the most is the water consumption, far from the water consumption on Earth.

Evolution of water consumption

During the first 3 SOLs water tank was being filled partially by Mission Support. This made impossible to calculate water consumption. Looking at the water consumption rate from SOL 4 to SOL 11, we have extrapolated the water consumption of SOL 1-3.

Green-hab Summary

The GreenHab Officer Laia Ribas was responsible for watering all the plants three times per day. She took care of them to provide fresh vegetables for the crew. The total harvest is summarized below:

Daily temperatures

SOL 11 was the hottest day during the mission, with the temperature reaching 98.6 degrees Fahrenhet (37 degrees Celsius).

Future prospects

As the Hypatia I crew concludes its mission to the MDRS, the Hypatia Mars Association successfully achieves one of its main goals: conducting high-quality space-related research in a Martian simulated environment as an instrument for promoting science vocations among the young. Our hopes are that the Hypatia I team becomes the first of many crews to travel to “Mars” to inspire future generations of women in STEM. If given the opportunity, we hope to be back to the MDRS in 2025, thus passing the torch to a brand-new Hypatia II crew.

Acknowledgements

The Hypatia I mission is possible with the financial support of the following institutions and private companies:

During these two weeks, Crew 279 ARES has continuously worked on their research. Our experiments cover a large range of topics, and we hope to get good results out of our efforts. We still need to analyze all the data post-mission to conclude our research but here is a brief overview of how our experiments went during our rotation.

“We are what we eat” – Antoine de Barquin

The goal of Antoine’s experiment is to understand the impact of specific nutrition and confinement on the intestinal flora of astronauts. To conduct this study, a sample of each crew member was taken before departure to perform an analysis of intestinal bacteria by targeted metagenomics. This analysis is performed at the LIMS MBnext laboratory which collaborates with our crew for this experiment. The crew will then give “post-mission” samples. This way, Antoine will be able to compare and analyze how freeze-dried food affected everyone’s microbiota. Every day, Antoine monitored everything the crew ate, type of food, quantities, time of the day etc. He started analyzing the data during the mission and will conclude the analysis after the return on Earth. He also wondered how working the soil would affect the two crew members who worked the most in the GreenHab. People who garden have higher levels of Mycobacterium vaccae, a bacteria found in the soil that stimulates production of serotonin and functions as an antidepressant. He thought it would be interesting to see if our two gardeners have higher levels of it when he analyzes their samples upon our return to Earth.

Our Commander led his team proudly, trying to please everyone and keeping a good overview of the broad range of work we had to do.

“I will survive” – Agnes Dekeyser

Agnes’ experiment studied “extremophiles”. These are microorganisms that live in conditions that are lethal to most other microorganisms. They live on the seabed, in the Earth’s crust, in glaciers, and in many other extreme environments. During the mission on the planet Mars, our Crew Executive Officer studied the viability of two strains of extremophiles after exposure to MDRS environmental conditions : Deinococcus Radiodurans and Cupriavidus Metallidurans. Each strain was exposed outside for 8 days in anaerobic condition. Their viability will be compared to their unexposed analogues based on CFUs (Colony-Forming-Units) analysis. She also worked closely with Augustin and Thomas to find a place with less radiation around the base where her bacteria could survive better. Agnes spent her first days culturing her extremophiles and used one of her EVA’s to take them to North Ridge, a ridge with a higher altitude than the station’s. She also placed their analog inside the station. She then went back up the ridge every two days to check them. She also used an Arduino to calculate parameters such as temperature, pressure and altitude at North Ridge. On top of this experiment, she launched a weather balloon on top of North Ridge with an Arduino as well to test if this could be a useful way to calculate parameters if bacteria were to be put inside of the balloon for a future experiment. Sadly, the balloon did not last long as it did not have enough helium. SOL 11 was the day she collected her cultures and will proceed to analyze the difference in viability.

As CEO, she helped the Commander organize and coordinate daily team tasks and supported everyone before, during and after the simulation.

“Space Oddity” – Ioana Dimitrova

Long term spaceflight separates astronauts from society and their loved ones for months and months. It also keeps them confined without leaving them a possibility to feel free and do whatever they want. This can lead to mental health problems, stress, tensions within the team and can put the mission at risk. Music could be a cheap, easily transportable, and effective solution to this problem. Choosing your personal music to help you relax could have multiple benefits. It could help you transport yourself elsewhere, work through your emotions and stimulate your senses. Ioana tested if this theory is true by measuring cardiac parameters during relaxing times with and without music chosen by the crew. The technology used for the measurements is KINO by HeartKinetics. It’s an app that you put on your chest and that analyzes your heart variability. Added to that, a blood pressure monitor was used to take blood pressure measurements. Before the measurements, she also asked the crew to complete an anonymous Self Perceived Stress Test to get some trends on how the team felt throughout the mission and to correlate it with days they listen to music.

Our Crew Engineer has also kept busy by fixing two suits, a headset and managing water and power consumption.

“Radiation: how attacked are we?” – Thomas Stinglhamber

Every day, everywhere, different types of radiation attack us. On Mars, radiation will be way more brutal and dangerous than on Earth due to the difference of the atmosphere. It is thus very important to be able to have easy ways to measure the dosage of this radiation.

Thanks to BeSure’s technology, Thomas installed dosimeters both inside and outside the station to check how radiation proof the station is. He also gave the crewmates an individual dosimeter that they always wore to measure their personal dosage. He will collect all their data at the end of the simulation and will be able to tell us how much radiation we have been exposed to. Complementary to this, Thomas used a Gamma detector to map out the activity of the soil around the station by searching for radioactive isotopes near the station. He covered the whole region around the MDRS and combined his grid with Augustin’s 3D maps. He also helped Agnes determine if the hiding places Augustin found for her bacteria were protected from radioactive activity.

As Crew Scientist, he helps plan EVA’s, their tasks, timings, and reports.

“Confinement FOMO” – Aglaé Sacré

FOMO, “Fear of missing out”, can appear when we are cut out of society and social media. The Mars simulation completely cuts the crew off the network and the outer world, which makes it the best place to study how the lack of social media affects the mental condition of not wanting to miss out on something. The crew answered some anonymous questionnaires before leaving and were asked to check their social media usage data on their phone to realize how much time they were spending online daily. At the half of our stay, different anonymous questionnaires were completed where we assess how we feel without social media and if we feel like we’re missing out on something. We will have one more to fill in after the end of the simulation. This way Aglaé can compare how the crew used to use social media, how they predicted they would live without it and how they lived without it. Early data shows that pre-mission fears evolve as the days go by.

As Crew Journalist, she wrote the daily summaries and kept the world notified on what work we do every day. She also took photos and videos to document and present after our mission

“High Speed Rotor Manufacturing” – Gwenael le Bussy

The Martian atmosphere is a hundred times less dense than the one on Earth. This means that every flying object we would like to use for observation, scouting or measurements needs to be adapted to the physics of that new environment. Like the ones on Ingenuity, the rotor blades must have a special shape. Naturally, every piece of equipment may encounter a problem and need to be repaired or replaced. The problem cannot be predicted precisely in advance, which means that we need an adaptable solution. Gwenael studied how he can use 3D printing to model (with SolidWorks with NACA profile) and print rotor blades for the Martian atmosphere. Afterwards, he tested them with a high-speed motor and measured their thrust with a scale. He tested the 3D printer by doing some test prints for the oven knob. We tried to see if we could make one that works better than the ones currently used.

Parallel to his aerodynamics work, our Crew Astronomer observed the Sun with the solar observatory and took some pictures. He also used the New Mexico observatory remotely to observe M63 and M51 and spent some time processing them.

“Hide and seek during radiation storms” – Augustin Tribolet

As we mentioned earlier, radiation is an important factor in a Mars mission. If we are to live there or try to make bacteria or plants survive, we must find the most protected areas on the surface. An easy way to be able to find those places could be to use a drone to map out the area and to find these places. Augustin used a drone to scan the surface and generate a 3D model by photogrammetry. This digital technique allows us to build the 3D model from photographic images. He worked closely with Agnes who studied extremophiles to analyze how effective his hiding places are but also with Thomas to map out his radiation with the 3D models. Augustin completed numerous EVA’s during which he mapped out the station, the Special Region, Marble’s Rituals, the North Ridge, Candor Chasma, Kissing Camel Ridge… When he was not on EVA, he exported the images and combined them to create 3D interactive maps. When he would spot a possible protected place on his map, he would send a team out on an EVA, that had never been to that place, to see if they could find it based only on his maps and to check out if his measurements were correct.

As GreenHab Officer, he took care of our garden, rooting for it even during the warmer days. He collected the vegetables and different herbs that he dried to make spices for our team as well as for the next teams.

“Mars well-being” – Ttele Hiriart

Confinement, isolation, extreme conditions… All these factors affect mental health and team dynamics. How is the well-being of the crew members evolving? How does the team work together? How do the dynamics evolve? Which teamwork tools work? During the mission, Ttele kept a diary of her observations of the team and different crewmates. She will compare these observations with the ones made by other mission simulations in Antarctica for example. After analysis, she will present her observations of the ups and downs of the mission, how the team interacted and different lessons the team has learned or must work on for future missions. During the day, she observed how effectively every crewmember worked on their experiment, how their motivation changed and how they handled difficult decisions, tensions. Some examples included: decisions made during EVA’s when plans had to change due to lack of time, technical difficulties in the station, decision taking when not everyone had the same opinion, how the team reacted when somebody was down, the effect of the fatigue… She also introduced some teamwork exercises at the end of day to work on team cohesion. All this is documented in her diary, and she took notes of her observations continuously. She will now have the tedious task to read everything she wrote and present her observations and some ideas for improvement.

As Health and Safety Officer, she made sure everyone was feeling good and healthy and took care of us when we were feeling out of shape.

Final mission report.docx