Mission Control Carter Observatory
During the two weeks of the expedition, Carter Observatory Wellington acted as "New Zealand Mission Control".
Carter’s stunning library was transformed into a high-tech mission control for the duration of the crew’s stay in Utah. A suite of laptops along with Mars themed exhibits set the scene and allowed students, teachers and the public to interact with KiwiMars Crew, find out about the mission, and learn more from expert astronomers.
Carter also provided dedicated staff members to look after Mission Control and interact with visitors. This included short presentations about the project and the mission progress at least twice a day, incorporating the latest updates from the base.
All planetarium shows during this time included Mars content and updates from the crew, inspiring visitors to go out and look for the planet for themselves in the night-time sky. Carter also provided a venue for meetings in the build-up to the mission and for a public event once the crew return from Utah.
Education Log-MDRS
The following log is written to give a record of what type of questions were being asked by the students, teachers & visitors at Carter Observatory who interacted with the crew in SIM. The method of communication was via “Chatroll” an online tool of instant messaging.
This instant messaging took place almost every day (see logs) from 1600 hrs to 2300 hrs MDRS time (10 AM to 5 PM NZST).
Questions from students | Answers offered by the crew (various crew members) |
|---|---|
How do you avoid smelling after hard work when you are not allowed to shower for 3 days at a time? | We use wet wipes that refresh you and are antibacterial so they kill the germs. They keep us clean and help between showers |
Do you have emergency supplies if anyone is sick or has an accident? | Yes we do have emergency supplies that are well stocked up. These include pain relief for headaches, bandages for minor injuries etc. We also talk to a flight surgeon for more serious injuries. If someone needs evacuating we do have emergency vehicles to use(as well as a helicopter we can call in for a snake bite) There could be a problem on Mars because of the distance so planning injuries is an important factor here |
Has anyone gotten sick? | No one has got sick so far during the mission. We did have one minor injury with a twisted ankle as a crew member fell down a ladder which we got the flight surgeons help with |
Do you have T.V? | No we don’t have T.V but we do have a live link with Earth (Carter Observatory/N.Z) and we do have wifi internet. We can talk with loved ones and catch up on the news/weather etc |
How do you get oxygen in the Hab? | We have oxygen in the Hab all the time (we are on Earth) as this is just a simulation but if we were on Mars we would need to take oxygen with us as there is hardly any in the Martian atmosphere to breathe. This is important when you plan an actual mission to Mars for the crew to survive |
How long does it take to actually travel to Mars? | This depends very much on where in the year (orbits) both Earth and Mars are. At the moment Mars is fairly close so it would take about 6-7 months to reach there. But the return journey could take twice as long. On average if you went to Mars and returned without stopping it would take around 2 years of time |
What is the possibility of something going seriously wrong on Mars? | There is always a possibility of something going wrong. This is why we have to plan things carefully and take every precaution we can with all the activities the crew does |
Is it bulky wearing a space suit? | After experiencing it myself it is very bulky wearing a space suit. It’s more difficult to do ordinary things like picking up ordinary objects and doing work. This is something all astronauts have to get used to and deal with everyday in space or on another world
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What kind of exercise do you do? | We exercise everyday to keep fit/healthy. (it’s also very necessary in a micro-gravity environment so bones/muscles stay healthy as well as your heart) We run on the spot as well as do stretching exercises to get the heart pumping |
What happens if you run out of water? | Well we can always replace our water in this simulation but that’s why it’s very important to plan ahead if a mission were to actually go to Mars. The astronauts would actually die if they ran out of water as it’s needed to survive
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Do you find it easy getting around in the Hab? | Yes there is plenty of space to move even though it seems more cramped. Getting in and out of the airlocks can be difficult at times when a large group are going on an EVA and suiting up. This has to be planned so the crew can get dressed and move out to the surface efficiently |
Would you see different stars on Mars than on Earth? | Actually no. The constellations are still in the same general positions when you compare this to Earth. The planets may seem closer (like Jupiter/Saturn) and you also get to view Earth as well. You would also get to see deep space objects like galaxies etc like you do on Earth too |
What research are you doing while you are on Mars? | The research I am doing is related to learning and education. I want to see what interest there is from students in N.Z in the idea of living and exploring a new world like Mars. Other members of the crew have other interests that range from Geology, Astronomy, art, journalism and the weather. All of these are interesting to study when you are on another world |
Would you actually like to go and settle on Mars? | Yes it would be a great opportunity if I could get there and return safely. I think we certainly have the “will” to go but we need to refine the technology and set up a base properly. Everyone who goes must be able to survive and be able to get home safely in my opinion |