The Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (HOPE), India’s first full-scale, crewed Mars analog mission, successfully completed its inaugural simulation last month in the high-altitude cold desert of Ladakh. This groundbreaking initiative is being led by Protoplanet in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Mars Society. Situated in the Tso Kar Valley at an elevation of 4,530 meters (14,500 feet), HOPE was purposefully established in one of the harshest environments on Earth. With thin air, freezing temperatures,… READ MORE >
Topic Area: Australia
The Mars Society is pleased to announce that a five-person crew will be visiting the organization’s Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) on Devon Island in northern Canada in mid-July 2023 in order to reactivate the facility and conduct a two-week simulation in one of the most Mars-like environments on Earth just 900 miles from the North Pole. A multi-national team from the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, designated as Crew 15, will spend approximately 7-10 days working… READ MORE >
Mars Society Australia (MSA), in conjunction with the Andy Thomas Foundation, led a public workshop recently at the Australian Space Discovery Centre in Adelaide to discuss plans for establishing the Mars Arkaroola Research Station (MARS) in Australia. Speakers included Prof. Caroline McMillen, the Chief Scientist for South Australia, as well as industry and space agency representatives. Also joining in virtually were Mars Society President Dr. Robert Zubrin, discussing the vision of humans-to-Mars, and Mars Desert Research Station Director Dr. Shannon… READ MORE >