Mars Desert Research Station
|
|
The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) is one of four planned simulated Mars habitats (or 'Mars Analogue Research Station') maintained by the Mars Society. It is the second such research station to be built, after the completion of the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in the Arctic in 2000. The purpose of these stations is to provide an example of what living will be like on Mars. Whlie much hotter than Mars, the location is optimal because of its Mars-like terrain and appearance.
| Contents |
Location
The station is in the Canyonlands desert of Utah. It is seven miles from Hanksville, Utah. Four miles east along Utah State Route 24, and about three miles north on a dirt road.
Crews
Crews sign up for two week shifts during the winter months (it's too hot in the summer for pleasant simulation). Crews are not paid during their time at the station, but do get valuable experience. The crews usually consist of a mix of astronomers, physicists, biologists, geologists, engineers and the occasional journalist.
Buildings
The campus consists of three buildings. The habitat, the greenhab, and the observatory.
Habitat
The habitat is a two story cylinder on its end about 30 feet in diameter. On the first floor there are two airlocks, two bathrooms, a room for the space suits, and a combined lab and work area. On the second floor, are six rooms with bunks, and a combined common area kitchen.
Greenhab
The greenhab is a greenhouse used for plants. It is a cylinder on its side about fifteen feet in diameter and fifteen feet long. In one half is some storage area and plants used in some experiments. In the other half is primarily a biological greywater recycling system.
Observatory
The observatory is the housing for their telescope.
Also on the campus is a generator and an omnidirectional radio telescope.
Operations
The MDRS is owned by the Mars Society. They are responsible for choosing the crews and most administrative tasks. Some Hanksville citizens take care of the frequent tasks. Brigham Young University (BYU) is the closest university to the MDRS. The BYU Mars Research Group works and takes care of many of the MDRS operational tasks. Also 1/2 of the greenhab is used for biological research that the BYU Mars Research Group is performing.
External links
- Mars Society Desert Research Station Webpage (http://www.marssociety.org/mdrs/index.asp)