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Science/Tech See other Science/Tech Articles Title: Crew Chosen for 4 Month Mars Simulation Mission Crew Chosen for Four-Month Arctic Mars Simulation Mission by Kevin F Sloan — last modified 2006-12-06 21:33 The crew has been chosen for this unprecedented four-month human Mars simulation mission that will be conducted from May through August of 2007 at The Mars Society’s Flashline Mars Artic Research Station (FMARS) on Devon Island, in the high Canadian arctic. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Sloan (814) 574-1211 November 20, 2006 – The Mars Society announced earlier this month the selection of University of New Brunswick geologist Melissa Battler as crew commander of FMARS 2007. This unprecedented four-month human Mars simulation mission will be conducted from May through August of 2007 at The Mars Society’s Flashline Mars Artic Research Station (FMARS) on Devon Island, in the high Canadian arctic. Battler and six other scientists and engineers will conduct a sustained program of scientific experimentation and field exploration while operating under most of the constraints of a real Mars mission, at a location only 900 miles from the North Pole chosen for its striking similarity to the Red Planet. Once complete, the mission will stand as the longest and most isolated human Mars simulation mission ever conducted. “I’m thrilled and honored to have been selected as Commander for this expedition, and I’m really excited for the challenge,” said Battler. “The conditions will be harsh, and we will need to adapt quickly and learn to work efficiently as a team to ensure our success and survival. It will be difficult, but I’m looking forward to it.” Rounding out the FMARS 2007 crew will be Executive Officer and Engineer Matt Bamsey of the University of Guelph (Canada), Chief Engineer James Harris of Austin Community College (USA), Interdisciplinary Scientist Kim Binstead of the University of Hawaii (USA), Chief Biologist Konstantinos Kormas of the University of Thessaly (Greece), Biologist Kathryn Bywaters of Miracosta College (USA), and Geologist Simon Auclair of the International Space University (Canada). The crew will be taking a number of steps to prepare themselves for the challenges presented by this mission during a two-week practice mission to be held in February at The Mars Society’s Mars Desert Research Station outside of Hanksville, Utah. While there, the crew will conduct tasks such as familiarizing themselves with the space suits they will be required to wear every time they venture outside and learning to collaborate with the Remote Science Team (RST) who will be supporting their efforts during their time at FMARS. Composed of NASA, university, and private scientists, the RST will provide scientific and logistical assistance in a role analogous to that of mission support anticipated by NASA for future human Mars exploration missions. For those seeking to understand the practical value of such an intense, demanding research project, Battler had a simple explanation. “Things will be similarly challenging for the first human Mars missions,” she said. “The lessons that we learn will contribute to successful human Mars missions in the future.” The Mars Society is a private international grassroots organization dedicated to furthering the case for human exploration of Mars. Since its founding in 1998, The Mars Society’s strong commitment to both outreach and research has put it at the forefront of Mars exploration proponents, with 7000 members in 40 countries. The organization currently operates multiple world class research facilities which investigate many technical and human factors associated with human space exploration. Significant political and public outreach has led to several hundred meetings with U.S. congressional offices, and has otherwise reached hundreds of millions of people through various media outlets. For more information, please contact Kevin Sloan, or visit http://www.marssociety.org/.
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