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  Exploration: Moon to Mars
  Mars Desert Research Station in Utah

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Author Topic:   Mars Desert Research Station in Utah
Bob M
Member

Posts: 1853
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 05-19-2015 01:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Bob M   Click Here to Email Bob M     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A rocky desert area near Hanksville, Utah, bears such a resemblance to Mars that it's become a hot spot for serious Mars enthusiasts to carry out imaginary missions on Mars.

They've been coming here for decades hoping that their research someday helps humans on the Martian surface. There have been over 150 six-person groups in the last 14 years to travel to this outpost for a two-week mission.

Sponsored by The Mars Society, these missions cost $1,000 for each participant, but can be offset by various grants and donations.

Each person in the six-person crew fills a role, with each crew having a commander, astronomer, geologist, biologist, journalist and engineer/mechanic. To keep things authentic, they never go outside without space helmets; use a fake decompression room; and one crew member always stays inside in case something goes wrong.

Their Mars habitat, where they live and sleep, looks like a giant water tank and inside has two levels, with six narrow bedrooms upstairs and a bathroom, shower and work station downstairs. Their routine helps illustrate the logistical and emotional issues that a real Mars mission would involve.

More than 900 people have participated in these simulated Mars missions in Utah, coming from all over the world, including Russia, Romania, Australia and Japan.

Sounds like a place and experience that Robert would consider participating in.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 50516
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-19-2015 05:30 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Indeed, it would be an adventure. Even better, would be the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station, used for similar purposes.

My own hesitation is that it is an immersive environment and I imagine they expect those who are there to focus on the mission at hand. This website is a bit too demanding at present for me to able to devote two weeks to a mock Mars mission alone.

That's not to say, were the opportunity to to present itself at some point, that I wouldn't give it ample consideration. I'd be even more eager and motivated to make it work were it a NASA (or ESA) expedition, rather than a Mars Society activity (but that's a discussion for a different day and thread).

p51
Member

Posts: 1769
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted 05-19-2015 06:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for p51   Click Here to Email p51     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Wow, I can't believe I'd never heard of this before. I agree with Robert, two weeks is a bit much for most working folks to set aside for something like this. For some people, that's ALL the vacation time they get in a year.

I'd assume you have to gather your own team together and approach them on this.

The site, to me, raises far more questions than it answers. I wonder if this is just a far more immersive version of Space Camp or if you're expected to conduct serious research in the name of some manner of bigger picture study.

But I must admit, it sound very interesting and I'll be looking further into this. Who knows, I might be heading to Utah within the next couple of years...

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