5 team members of the Austrian Space Forum plus Auda.X visited him where usually high tech medical science takes place, to gain an insight into the space suit simulator using a worldclass CT (only 5 comparable machines exist worldwide). “The first images, which we got from the computer, where simply awesome.” says project leader Gernot Grömer, “all together we got 3714 images - some real Eye-Candy, especially the nearly realtime 3D images.”
Aouda.X gets a CT
16. Dec. 2010
You will only find out whats inside a space suit - real or simulated - if you look under its skin. This was the reason behind a cooperation between the Aouda.X development team and the University Clinic for Radiology at the medical University of Innsbruck and the TILAK (Tiroler Landeskrankenanstalten GmbH, the association of tyrolean county hospitals): to be able to see whats inside of our “indian princess”. With Martin Knoflach who works for both the Aouda.X development team and the TILAK it was only a question of time until this collaboration happened.
Aouda X Dev-team watching the operations console
of the CT-Scanner
View from the Operationsroom: Inside the CT-
Scanner with the positioned Aouda X Suit
With the help of these pictures it was possible to see the mechanically stressed parts of the suit without having to take it apart. “I really hope that this investigation hasn’t been the last of its kind.” is Gernot Grömer already looking forward to the next measurements, which could even be done with the new exosceleton. Also Dosimetre measurements will be done with the help of X-ray machinery. All together, a perfect preparation for the Rio-Tinto expedition in April 2011.
3D reconstruction of Aouda X based on computed tomography
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.
