Andrew Yee
December 24th 05, 12:49 AM
ESA News
http://www.esa.int
21 December 2005
Mission to Mars via Antarctica
A few weeks before leaving for the Antarctic Concordia Station, the
Italian-French crew that will spend over one year in one of the harshest,
isolated environments on Earth, attended two days of preparatory training
at ESA's Headquarters in Paris, France. During their stay at the research
station the crew will participate in a number of ESA experiments -- the
outcome of which will help prepare for long-term missions to Mars.
As part of the Aurora Exploration Programme, ESA is considering
participating in a human mission to Mars by the year 2030. Research
projects are planned or are already underway to develop the technology and
knowledge needed. By being involved in programmes that have requirements
similar to those of a mission to Mars, ESA will gain experience on how
best to prepare for such a challenging mission.
"The Concordia Station is an ideal location as it replicates certain
aspects of a Mars mission," explains Oliver Angerer, ESA's coordinator for
the Concordia research programme. "The crew lives in an extreme
environment in one of the most remote places on Earth. During the winter
the base is completely cut off with no visitors and no chance for rescue.
In such an isolated location, the crew has to learn to be fully
self-sufficient."
Cooperation
Built and operated jointly by the French Polar Institute (Institut Paul
Emile Victor, IPEV) and the Italian Antarctic Programme (Consorzio per
l'attuazione del Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide, PNRA SCrl),
the Concordia Station was completed in 2004. A letter of intent was signed
with IPEV and PNRA in 2002 that enabled ESA to cooperate on some aspects
of the project.
Capable of providing home to up to 16 crewmembers in the winter, the
station consists of three buildings, which are interlinked by enclosed
walkways. Two large cylindrical three-storey buildings provide the
station's main living and working quarters, whilst the third building
houses technical equipment, like the electrical power plant and boiler
room.
Last November, the first crew finished their winter-over which was
dedicated to the technical qualification of the station . The summer
season sees a swelling in the number of inhabitants as short-stay
scientists take advantage of the less extreme weather (however, mean air
temperature is about -30 C during this time!). With the second crew now
starting to gather at the remote research station, the summer season also
marks a change over of the crew.
Briefings
Three scientists who are part of the next Concordia winter-over crew have
already made the long journey to Antarctica. The rest of the crew, who
will leave for the Antarctic research station during December, gathered at
ESA's Headquarters in Paris for two days of pre-departure training. They
received briefings about life at Concordia, including aspects such as
safety and the implications of the Antarctic Treaty for activities at the
station.
The seven crewmembers also heard about research at the station, including
two special experiments for which they will act as subjects during their
stay. In 2003, ESA coordinated together with the Concordia partners a
Research Announcement for medical and psychological research, from which
six proposals were selected.
The two experiments, which are the first to be implemented in the coming
season, look at psychological adaptation to the environment and the
process of developing group identity; issues that will also be important
factors for humans travelling to Mars. For this research the crew will
complete questionnaires at regular intervals throughout their stay.
ESA's Mistacoba experiment, which already started a year ago when the
first crew started living at the station, will also continue after the
crew rotation. Starting from a newly built clean environment, samples are
taken from fixed locations in the base as well as from crewmembers
themselves. The Mistacoba experiment will provide a profile of how
microbes spread and evolve in the station -- an isolated and confined
environment -- over time.
Water-recycling
To protect the Antarctic environment, all waste materials must be removed
from the Continent. For the Concordia Station, this means that all waste
materials have to be appropriately treated. Regarding water, based on ESA
life support technologies, ESA developed, together with PNRA and IPEV, a
system to recycle the so-called 'grey water' collected from showers,
laundry and dishwashing, which has been operating for a year in line with
the requirements of the Concordia partners.
Other ESA activities for Concordia include the ongoing development of a
system to monitor the health and well being of the crew, part of the Long
Term Medical Survey (LMTS). Physiological parameters, collected using a
vest-like item of clothing, will provide valuable data about the health
and fitness of crew during long-term stays in harsh environments.
Real environment
In mid-February the last plane of summer visitors will depart from
Concordia leaving the crew to their own devices. "For those nine winter
months the crew will experience extreme isolation," adds Oliver Angerer.
"Concordia is a real operational environment, something we would never be
able to simulate in a laboratory. This will enhance and complement our
research and give us valuable insight we need to prepare for Mars."
Related articles
* Black water treatment unit for Concordia
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Aurora/SEM98U7X9DE_0.html
* Preparing a human mission to Mars via Antarctica and Toulouse
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMOS4T1VED_index_0.html
Related links
* Aurora Exploration Programme
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Aurora/index.html
* Concordia Station
http://www.concordiastation.org
* IPEV
http://www.ifremer.fr/anglais/
* PNRA
http://www.pnra.it/
* ELIPS
http://spaceflight.esa.int/users/file.cfm?filename=coord-elipse
* Water treatment in Antarctica
http://www.estec.esa.nl/ecls/?p=ttpantarctica
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
[Image 1:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBZA8A9HE_index_1.html]
The Concordia Station is a scientific base built in Antarctica by the
French Polar Institute (IPEV) and the Italian Antarctic Programme (PNRA)
Credits: IPEV
[Imaeg 2:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBZA8A9HE_index_1.html#subhead1]
Concordia Station crewmembers during pre-departure training in Paris,
France. The crew will spend the Antarctic winter season at the Concordia
Station in 2006. During their stay they will participate in two ESA
experiments.
Credits: ESA
[Image 3:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBZA8A9HE_index_1.html#subhead2]
Map of Antarctica showing Dome-C (red square) and location of Concordia
Station (star).
[Image 4:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBZA8A9HE_index_1.html#subhead4]
Aerial photograph of Concordia Station showing the layout of the base,
including the tower (top left).
Credits: Concordia
http://www.esa.int
21 December 2005
Mission to Mars via Antarctica
A few weeks before leaving for the Antarctic Concordia Station, the
Italian-French crew that will spend over one year in one of the harshest,
isolated environments on Earth, attended two days of preparatory training
at ESA's Headquarters in Paris, France. During their stay at the research
station the crew will participate in a number of ESA experiments -- the
outcome of which will help prepare for long-term missions to Mars.
As part of the Aurora Exploration Programme, ESA is considering
participating in a human mission to Mars by the year 2030. Research
projects are planned or are already underway to develop the technology and
knowledge needed. By being involved in programmes that have requirements
similar to those of a mission to Mars, ESA will gain experience on how
best to prepare for such a challenging mission.
"The Concordia Station is an ideal location as it replicates certain
aspects of a Mars mission," explains Oliver Angerer, ESA's coordinator for
the Concordia research programme. "The crew lives in an extreme
environment in one of the most remote places on Earth. During the winter
the base is completely cut off with no visitors and no chance for rescue.
In such an isolated location, the crew has to learn to be fully
self-sufficient."
Cooperation
Built and operated jointly by the French Polar Institute (Institut Paul
Emile Victor, IPEV) and the Italian Antarctic Programme (Consorzio per
l'attuazione del Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide, PNRA SCrl),
the Concordia Station was completed in 2004. A letter of intent was signed
with IPEV and PNRA in 2002 that enabled ESA to cooperate on some aspects
of the project.
Capable of providing home to up to 16 crewmembers in the winter, the
station consists of three buildings, which are interlinked by enclosed
walkways. Two large cylindrical three-storey buildings provide the
station's main living and working quarters, whilst the third building
houses technical equipment, like the electrical power plant and boiler
room.
Last November, the first crew finished their winter-over which was
dedicated to the technical qualification of the station . The summer
season sees a swelling in the number of inhabitants as short-stay
scientists take advantage of the less extreme weather (however, mean air
temperature is about -30 C during this time!). With the second crew now
starting to gather at the remote research station, the summer season also
marks a change over of the crew.
Briefings
Three scientists who are part of the next Concordia winter-over crew have
already made the long journey to Antarctica. The rest of the crew, who
will leave for the Antarctic research station during December, gathered at
ESA's Headquarters in Paris for two days of pre-departure training. They
received briefings about life at Concordia, including aspects such as
safety and the implications of the Antarctic Treaty for activities at the
station.
The seven crewmembers also heard about research at the station, including
two special experiments for which they will act as subjects during their
stay. In 2003, ESA coordinated together with the Concordia partners a
Research Announcement for medical and psychological research, from which
six proposals were selected.
The two experiments, which are the first to be implemented in the coming
season, look at psychological adaptation to the environment and the
process of developing group identity; issues that will also be important
factors for humans travelling to Mars. For this research the crew will
complete questionnaires at regular intervals throughout their stay.
ESA's Mistacoba experiment, which already started a year ago when the
first crew started living at the station, will also continue after the
crew rotation. Starting from a newly built clean environment, samples are
taken from fixed locations in the base as well as from crewmembers
themselves. The Mistacoba experiment will provide a profile of how
microbes spread and evolve in the station -- an isolated and confined
environment -- over time.
Water-recycling
To protect the Antarctic environment, all waste materials must be removed
from the Continent. For the Concordia Station, this means that all waste
materials have to be appropriately treated. Regarding water, based on ESA
life support technologies, ESA developed, together with PNRA and IPEV, a
system to recycle the so-called 'grey water' collected from showers,
laundry and dishwashing, which has been operating for a year in line with
the requirements of the Concordia partners.
Other ESA activities for Concordia include the ongoing development of a
system to monitor the health and well being of the crew, part of the Long
Term Medical Survey (LMTS). Physiological parameters, collected using a
vest-like item of clothing, will provide valuable data about the health
and fitness of crew during long-term stays in harsh environments.
Real environment
In mid-February the last plane of summer visitors will depart from
Concordia leaving the crew to their own devices. "For those nine winter
months the crew will experience extreme isolation," adds Oliver Angerer.
"Concordia is a real operational environment, something we would never be
able to simulate in a laboratory. This will enhance and complement our
research and give us valuable insight we need to prepare for Mars."
Related articles
* Black water treatment unit for Concordia
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Aurora/SEM98U7X9DE_0.html
* Preparing a human mission to Mars via Antarctica and Toulouse
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMOS4T1VED_index_0.html
Related links
* Aurora Exploration Programme
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Aurora/index.html
* Concordia Station
http://www.concordiastation.org
* IPEV
http://www.ifremer.fr/anglais/
* PNRA
http://www.pnra.it/
* ELIPS
http://spaceflight.esa.int/users/file.cfm?filename=coord-elipse
* Water treatment in Antarctica
http://www.estec.esa.nl/ecls/?p=ttpantarctica
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
[Image 1:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBZA8A9HE_index_1.html]
The Concordia Station is a scientific base built in Antarctica by the
French Polar Institute (IPEV) and the Italian Antarctic Programme (PNRA)
Credits: IPEV
[Imaeg 2:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBZA8A9HE_index_1.html#subhead1]
Concordia Station crewmembers during pre-departure training in Paris,
France. The crew will spend the Antarctic winter season at the Concordia
Station in 2006. During their stay they will participate in two ESA
experiments.
Credits: ESA
[Image 3:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBZA8A9HE_index_1.html#subhead2]
Map of Antarctica showing Dome-C (red square) and location of Concordia
Station (star).
[Image 4:
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBZA8A9HE_index_1.html#subhead4]
Aerial photograph of Concordia Station showing the layout of the base,
including the tower (top left).
Credits: Concordia