These weeks, the flight unit of the stratospheric ballon is being interagted and tested under the lead im Michael Taraba, ÖWF Vienna.
October, 4th 2007: Exactly 50 years after the lift-off of the legendary sowjet satellite Sputnik, the Austrian Space Forums' Passepartout-balloon will be launched into 35 km height. "At this atmospheric level, the ambient pressure equals the one on planet Mars", project manager Michael Taraba explains, "on the one hand we want to perform various hardware tests for the Phileas-Rover and the EVA-suit of PolAres, on the other hand, this endeavour is an excellent training opportunity for our engineers and mission planners - building upon the experience of the simulated Mars expedition AustroMars- to forge an experienced and highly focussed team for both the flagship projects of PolAres." The balloons' outer hull has been already delivered, as well as the five miniaturized fligth cameras (see photo). In cooperation with the research company Object Tracker, Passepartout will also test novel environmental sensors, which measure acceleration and data like temperature, humidity and other parameters. The parachute is right in the process of integration, to slow down the fall after the scheduled rupture of the balloon; so is the positioning transmitter.
Passepartout-hardware
18. August 2007
The first project of the multi-year PolAres-research programme is about to enter its hot phase.
Michael Taraba
The five camera flight units for the balloon
"Currently, we are -together with the PolAres Operations Office under the lead of Willibald Stumptner- working out the details for the launch and flight operations as well as the recovery efforts of the payload gondola", Michael Taraba comments on the progress of Passepartout, "and it is a very exciting time for our entire team to see, how the first hardware components are being integrated into a flightworthy system. After all these months of planning we now have something in our hands, which in less than two months from now on - will be launched into a near-space environment."
PolAres Schedule Update
15. June 2012: Deadline Announcement of Opportunity MARS2013 25.-27. Oct. 2012: 3rd Conference on Terrestial Mars Analogues 01 - 28. February 2013: Morocco Mars Simulation
Between 01 - 28. February 2013, the Austrian Space Forum will conduct an integrated Mars analog field simulation in the northern Sahara near Erfoud, Morocco. Directed by a Mission Support Center in Austria, a small field crew will conduct experiments preparing for future human Mars missions mainly in the fields of engineering, planetary surface operations, astrobiology, geophysics/geology, life sciences and other.
This field mission is supported by the Ibn-Battuta-Center at the University of Marrakesh, Morocco. The Austrian Space Forum now solicitates proposals to be reviewed by a selection panel. The deadline for submissions is 15. June 2012, the announcement of the successful experiments will be released on 15. July 2012.
Detail
The analysis of Mars analogue environments on Earth is of paramount importance for the interpretation of the data from past, present and future orbital and landed missions, as well as mission planning (both robotic and human). Sedimentary environments in particular attract strong interest because they can retain the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental history of the planet and under the right conditions may harbour fossil or present life signatures.
Date: 25. - 27. October 2012
Location: Conference Centre of the Hotel Meridien N'Fis at Marrakech, Morocco Organization: European Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, International Association of Sedimentologits, Ibn Battuta Centre, IRSPS, Universite Cadi Ayyad.
Between 01 - 28. February 2013, the Austrian Space Forum will conduct an integrated Mars analog field simulation in the northern Sahara near Erfoud, Morocco. Directed by a Mission Support Center in Austria, a small field crew will conduct experiments preparing for future human Mars missions mainly in the fields of engineering, planetary surface operations, astrobiology, geophysics/geology, life sciences and other.
