Insist.com is going to ‘Mars’ on a HI-SEAS habitat simulation

A community of six researchers will embark on a mission to “Mars” on Monday (Nov. 2). The Martian crew will embody artists, scientists and … me!

The crew will spend two-weeks touring to a simulated Mars habitat. The mission, identified as Sensoria M2, will happen at the HI-SEAS (Hawaii Insist Exploration Analog and Simulation) habitat on the side of the volcano Mauna Loa. All crew participants will take into accout carried out a two-week quarantine and COVID-19 tests ahead of flying to the habitat to minimize likelihood as Sensoria M2 is taking say correct throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

This mission will be allotment of the Sensoria program. Sensoria goals to supply a enhance to underrepresented groups in the plight sector to “close recent gaps in our capacity to supply a enhance to the next generation of crewed missions,” this system’s web plight states. 

Live updates: Our mission to ‘Mars’ at the HI-SEAS habitat


Extra: HI-SEAS’ 8-month mock Mars mission in footage 

“All of our missions will be female-led and feminine-majority. We, of direction, will welcome with originate hands our male colleagues, nevertheless we imagine that girls people must be positioned at the center of our shared vision for plight exploration, that girls people must be given a platform for skilled development, alternatives for learn and training,” bioengineer J.J. Hastings, who serves because the CEO of Analogs LLC, a firm that backs the Sensoria program, told Insist.com about this system sooner than its inaugural mission in January 2020. 

Hastings will attend as capcom (capsule communicator) for the mission alongside geoscientist Sian Proctor, talked about about the Sensoria program. 

Sensoria M2 is what’s identified as an “analog mission,” or a mission performed on Earth that simulates a mission in plight. At HI-SEAS, researchers total every analog lunar and Mars missions, and this explicit mission will mimic what it could perchance perchance be desire to live and work on the Crimson Planet. 

This implies that I and the other crew participants will no longer high-tail away the solar-powered habitat unless in a secured spacesuit on an EVA (extravehicular project, additionally in most cases known as a spacewalk). We can fully bask in shelf-staunch foods and count entirely on the habitat’s solar energy, and the team’s email communication — the fully narrate contact with the skin world — will be delayed by 40 minutes. These are fair correct a couple of of the solutions that this analog mission will assassinate a habitat on Earth as practical as imaginable.

The mission will span from Nov. 2 to Nov. 16, which implies that we are going to be on “Mars” every for the U.S. Presidential election (so we can all vote early sooner than leaving for “Mars”) and for SpaceX’s Crew-1 astronaut open for NASA, which is scheduled for Nov. 14. 

For the mission, every crew member will be working on their take into accout learn, nevertheless, because teamwork is obligatory to a a hit plight mission, every person will additionally raise a crew say that describes how they will supply a enhance to their fellow crew participants and the habitat. 

As an illustration, while I will be working to doc the mission, I will additionally be serving as chief science officer, which might per chance entail supporting the team’s learn projects and ongoing science experiments at the habitat. 

MEET THE CREW: Chelsea Gohd is a passionate science communicator and musician, working to break downthe intricacies of the cosmos and assassinate plight and science accessible and interesting to all. That you might per chance additionally be conscious Chelsea at @chelsea_gohd#rockstar #sciencecommunicator #womeninstem pic.twitter.com/Z121CjdmzDOctober 24, 2020

I will be joined by fellow crew member Amanda Knutson, an Air Drive Airman who will attend as chief engineering officer. 

MEET THE CREW: Amanda Knutson is a Weapons Armament Specialist at Luke AFB. She has designed a brand recent aquaponics intention that will be dilapidated in micro- and fractional gravity correct for lengthy-duration plight missions.#usaf #navy #engineering #womeninstem pic.twitter.com/VPKqTYeGi4October 24, 2020

Additionally on the mission will be veterinarian and microbiologist Dr. Brandy Nunez, who will attend as chief scientific officer for the crew. 

MEET THE CREW: Dr. Brandy Nunez is a microbiologist, veterinarian, mother, modular synth musician, and aspiring astronaut. Her be pleased of the cosmos and appreciation for existence in all kinds infiltrates every her scientific and inventive work.#womaninmed #analog #soundofspace #stemstar pic.twitter.com/Wk7aAoEktvOctober 25, 2020

Astrobiologist Michala Musilova, who is director of the HI-SEAS plight, will lead the crew, serving because the mission’s commander. 

Dr. Michaela Musilova is an astrobiologist and the Director of @HI_SEAS. She has worked for @NASA, @ISU_SSP, @LondonU Observatory, Canada France Hawaii Telescope and has been Commander of over 20 Moon/Mars simulated missions!@HI_SEAS @astro_Michaela #womeninstem #extremophile pic.twitter.com/43E1rvvbhUOctober 25, 2020

Science writer Beth Mund will be part of the mission as science communication officer. 

MEET THE CREW: Beth Mund is a plight communications evangelist designing and delivering the very most efficient plight narratives. She’s a used @NASA public affairs officer, @Space_Station communication manager, and is the creator / host of @CasualSpace01 #sciencecomm #storyteller #plight pic.twitter.com/EeZGFwynMlOctober 25, 2020

Lastly, artist Richelle Gribble will be a allotment of the crew, serving as vice commander for the mission. 

MEET THE CREW: Richelle Gribble explores planetary connectivity to amplify the Overview Raise out. She believes that the sky is rarely any longer the restrict and creativity is boundless, creating artworks every on and off Earth.#plight #artist #plight #explortion@richellegribble @SupercolliderLA pic.twitter.com/Z4BGkHjpNDOctober 25, 2020

To withhold with me and the leisure of the Sensoria M2 crew LIVE at some stage in this mission, strive Insist.com’s live mission change web page right here. 

Electronic mail Chelsea Gohd at [email protected] or be conscious her on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Notice us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Fb.