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Morocco 2013 Mars Analog Field Simulation

Ibn Battuta center supports Morrocco Mars simulation

Between 01 - 28. February 2013, the Austrian Space Forum – in partnership with the Ibn Battuta Center in Marrakesh - conducted an integrated Mars analog field simulation in the northern Sahara near Erfoud, Morocco in the framework of the PolAres research programme. Directed by a Mission Support Center in Austria, a small field crew conducted experiments preparing for future human Mars missions mainly in the fields of engineering, planetary surface operations, astrobiology, geophysics/geology, life sciences and other.

Download
MARS2013 Mission report
(8.77 MB pdf)

MARS2013 Science Workshop, 25-26 May 2013

MARS2013 Science Workshop Poster

The MARS2013 Analog Expedition in Morocco generated an enormous amount of valuable data. The aim of the workshop is to discuss the efficient exploitation of the data and to coordinate the analysis. To facilitate the multidisciplinary approach to planetary exploration it is intended to provide the participants with the opportunity to strengthen their network of scientific and technical cooperation.

WHERE:
The workshop is hosted by the Technical University Vienna, Main building, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria. Cupola seminar room, Stair (Stiege) 1, top floor.

WHEN:
Saturday, 25th May 2013, 09:00 a.m
Sunday, 26th May 2013, 4:00 p.m.
Network meeting: Friday 24th May, 02:00 - 05:00 p.m (invitation only)

REGISTRATION:
Register via email to workshopoewforg
Registration fee: 10 € (students), 20 € (full), including abstract booklet and coffee breaks (to be paid on-site).
Registration Deadline: 10th May 2013
Abstract submission by: 14th May 2013 (150 words max)

Programme:
Saturday, 25th May 2013 09:00 a.m. - 07:00 p.m Session
Saturday, 25th May 2013 at 07:00 p.m. Conference dinner
Sunday, 26th May 2013 09:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session
Full Programme (pdf, 204.4 KB)

This workshop is supported by the Austrian Ministry for Science and Research.

Learn more about MARS2013 simulation

Experiments

Experiment	Organization	Description
CLIFFBOT CRV	Association Planete Mars, FR	Cliffbot rover vehicle - terrain trafficability
COMPSTRESS Crew Fatigue	Med.Univ. Graz, AT, Kings College, UK	Sensorimotor Adaptation & Stress Physiology in Analogues
ERAS C3	MS Italy, IT	Command & Control software project for data processing in the field
SREC	Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Cognitique, Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux, FR	Assessement of small rover exploration capabilities (ATV-like vehicles)
DELTA	Austrian Space Forum, AT	Human factors - work economics, time delay A.X vs unsuited
Puli-Rover	Puli Space Tech, HU	Mobility tests for the Hungarian GLXP rover
Hunveyor-4	Eötvös Loránd University Budapest, HU	Surveyor-class robotic lander with remote access
LTMS-MOROCCO	CSEM, CH	Long term medical monitoring system, biomedical chest vest
Magma-White Rover	ABM Space, PL	Pathfinder-class rover system, mobility & human-robotic interaction
MEDIAN	Univ. College London, UK	Methane Detection by In-Situ Analysis with Nano-Landers
microEVA	NASA JPL, USA	Luminescence detection of viable bacterial spores and terbium microspheres
Deployable Shelter	TU Vienna, AT	Deployable Emergency Shelter suitcase for astronauts
PolAres programme-specific activities
Aouda.X/.S	Austrian Space Forum, AT	Series of engineering tests w.r.t. communication, trafficability and materials
MAT/EP	Medical University of Innsbruck, AT	routine medical survey during OEWF field campaigns; includes a field incident reporting system
Geosciences	University of Budapest, HU University Innsbruck, AT	Geoscience remote science support experiments; includes the management of all geophysical and astrobiological research activities.
ANTIPODES	Kiwispace, NZ	Communication experiment with Kiwispace, NZ – testing the experiment guidance over to an external Mission Support Center during an ongoing experiment.
Complimentary experiments
Peniculus	University of Innsbruck, AT	A student experiment, devised at the University of Innsbruck during the summer 2012 "Unicamp". One solar panel will be swept by a brush once a day, whereas the other will accumulate a fine layer of dust.
Distance measurement "Yellow Box"	FH Mittweida	Using a high frequency signal emited by a base station, the signal travel time is measured to calculate the distance to the receiver. This could be used for a triangulation method to determine the location of a field unit.
OPS Box "White"	Intarsico Design	The classical base station for receiving the telemetry of the Aouda spacesuits has been expanded by an ergonomic design variant.

Mission Support Center

Flight Control Room of the Mission Support Center

The Mission Support Center (MSC) is located in Innsbruck, Austria and will support the Mars simulation in Morocco.

The MSC is led by the Flight Director. He is supported by the Flight Director Assistent. The Flight Directors for MARS2013 are: Norbert Frischauf, Christoph Ragonig and Alexander Soucek. In the back offices of the MSC there are following teams:

Media team (Team lead: Monika Fischer)
Flight planning team (Team lead: Alexander Karl)
Remote Science Support team (Team lead: Mike Rampey)
Biomedical Engineers (Team lead: Thomas Luger)
Science data officers (Team lead: Roberta Paternesi)
IT team (Team lead: Harald Fuchs)
Ground Support team (Team lead: Arnold Sams)

Field Campaign Partners

Campaign lead

Austrian Space Forum (OeWF)

Logistics, Infrastructure

Austrian Embassy in Morocco
Ibn Battuta Center, Marrakesh, Morocco
Int'l Research School of Planetary Sciences, Universita d'Annunzio, Italy
Université Cadi Ayyad, Bd. du Prince Moulay Abdellah, Marrakesh, Morocco

Industrial Partners & Sponsors (financial and technical contributions)

Alpquell (water), Austria
BusinessCom (High Bandwidth Satellite service provider), UK
Dräger Safety Austria (infrared cameras)
GourmetGroup (catering), Austria
Fair Rescue International (expedition gear), Austria
Intarsico Moebelkonzepte (experimental OPS console), Austria
Ing. Herbert Albrecht Memorial Fund for the Advancement of Science and Technology, Austria
LANCOM (wireless long-range telemetry hardware), Germany
Motorola Solutions (TETRA-network), Austria
Space Applications Services (Belgium)
TECHOS (hardware safety assessment), Germany
T-Mobile Austria (4G/LTE network)
Tripan Leichtbauteile (advanced honeycomb materials for structures), Austria

team members from 23 nations involved in MARS2013

Scientific Partners

ABM Space Education & Mars Society Poland
Association Planète Mars, France
Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique SA, Switzerland
Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Cognitique, Institut Polytechnique de Bordeaux, France
Instituts für Prozess- und Partikeltechnik, Technical University of Graz
Italian Mars Society
Kiwispace Foudation, New Zealand
Medical University of Graz, Austria
Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
NASA Ames Research Center, USA
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA
Óbuda University, Alba Regia University Centre, Hungary
Puli Space Technologies, Hungary
Technical University of Vienna, Austria
University College London, United Kingdom
University of Innsbruck, Faculty for Biology / Institute for Ecology and Limnlogy
University of Vienna, Faculty for Chemistry and Faculty of Physics

Social Media Partner

HootSuite, Canada

MARS2013 Press pictures

Photos are free-of-charge, if the copyright is used correctly and completely.

Mars2013 has officially begun. L. Foresta.
& D. Schildhammer during their
first EVA in Morocco.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 564.8 KB)

Aouda.X Mars space suit simulator standing
on a Kess Kess formation in Morocco.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 4.6 MB)

After successful EVA (Extra-Vehicular-
Activity) the Analog-Astronaut returns
to base camp.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 3.7 MB)

With the ATV (All-terrain-vehicles) an
Analog-Astronaut can extend the exploration
area. Moreover the ATV's are part
of the SREC experiment.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 3.8 MB)

Daniel Schildhammer inside Aouda.X (le)
and Luca Foresta inside Aouda.S (ri)
Mars spacesuit simulator.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 2.1 MB)

Daniel Schildhammer lowers the Cliffbot
over some steep cliffs of the
Kess Kess formations.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 6.1 MB)

Both Mars spacesuit simulators are testing
the deployable shelter, which was
developed by TU Vienna for emergency cases.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 5.1 MB)

Taking samples for the geoscience
experiment. Before taking the sample the
Analog-Astronaut describes the formation
and takes photos.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 6.4 MB)

Aouda.X Mars spacesuit together with
MAGMA Whiterover during sunset. The
Life experiment of the University of Innsbruck
is attached to the rover.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 3.6 MB)

Placing the MEDIAN gas detectors.
With this concept we try to detect
Methane Gas in small amounts.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 1.1 MB)

Hungarian Google Lunar X-Prize Rover
Puli together with Aouda.X Mars spacesuit.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 4 MB)

Hunveyor is an additional Hungarian
experiment. The lander is also a
weather station & collects important
weather data for MEDIAN experiment.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 4.5 MB)

MARS2013 Camp in the Moroccan
Northern Sahara just after sunset.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 3.6 MB)

Flight Control room of the
Mission Support Center in Innsbruck.
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 3.6 MB)

OPS White Seat an experimental
furniture concept developed for MARS2013
simulation. Doctor Pavan Gorur monitors
biomedical data from this console
(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)
download (jpg, 316.2 KB)