Souchier, Alain1 (2008)
Private ground infrastructures for Space Exploration Missions simulations
In: Proceedings of the IAA 1st Symposium on Private Human Access to Space, edited by No authors specified. International Academy of Astronautics.
The Mars Society, a private non profit organisation devoted to promote the red planet exploration, decided to implement simulated Mars habitat in two locations on Earth which presents some analogue Mars conditions. First Habitat was implemented in 2000 in northern Canada on the rim of a meteoritic crater on Devon Island. The second habitat was implemented end 2001 in a US Utah desert, location of a past Jurassic sea. These habitats have been built with geometrical similarities to actual planned habitats for first Mars exploration missions ( 8 m diameter). The Canada Flashline Mars Artic Research Station or F-MARS is opened one month per year owing to climate considerations. The Utah Mars Desert Research station or MDRS is opened from December to April, with 6 persons crews rotating every two weeks. Participation is open to everybody either proposing experimentations or wishing only to participate as a crew member. A simulation summary report is requested at the end of the rotation. Participants are from different organizations: Mars Society, Universities, experimenters working with NASA or ESA. The general philosophy of the work conducted is not to do an innovative scientific work on the field but to learn how the scientific work is affected or modified by this particular conditions. Outside activities are conducted in Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA) with simulated spacesuits which are limiting the experimenter abilities. Around these activities on the field, technological or procedural experimentations may be conducted (data management, localisation on the field, adapted tools, interface between man and machine, ergonomics in general). Technological experimentations may also be conducted in the habitat. Experimentations are also conducted on the crew psychology and behaviour as well as the working procedures. Some examples of these activities for various missions are presented including 2 missions in which participated the author. A special four months mission was conducted in 2007 at F-MARS which is a duration closer to a true 16 months Mars exploration mission.

2008.05_Arcachon_réduit-4.pdf
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