Mars Desert Research Station Crew 121 Files Final Report
January 14, 2013
For further information about the Mars Society, visit our website at www.marssociety.org
The following is the final report of MDRS Crew 121, which just completed its tour. A full review of this year's activity at the Mars Desert Research Station will be given at the 16th International Mars Society Convention, which will be held August 15-18, 2013 at the University of Colorado, Boulder. For further information about the Mars Society, visit our website at www.marssociety.org
MDRS 121 Mission Summary
MDRS 121
Embry-Riddle Crew
Mission Summary
Dec. 29, 2012 - Jan. 12, 2013
On December 28, 2012 seven young explorers made their way from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL all the way to the dusty, but breathtaking surface of Mars, also known as the Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah. When the crew first arrived, everybody was still a little bit in shock that they were actually here. They had been working all semester to prepare their research and get ready to be here, so it felt unreal when they finally arrived. It took a couple of days for each crew member to get accustomed to the environment and schedule here at the MDRS, but soon, the crew settled in to their new home for the next two weeks and the busy routine that they would need to follow. It wasn’t long before they were having so much fun here working together on Human Factors research and exploring the “Martian” surface that they didn't want to leave.
Commander’s Summary
Crew 121 has been exceptional and each individual continues to impress me with their maturity, dedication, and positive attitude. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew with which to spend two weeks in such an isolated and confined environment. Although each crewmember came from the same university, and even the same department, there was a great deal of diversity within the crew as seen through the goals and passions of each crewmember as well as through their cultural and background differences. One crew member was born and raised in South Korea, while another was born in Columbia. Some crewmembers were raised in military families with the dream of following in their parents’ footsteps, while another crewmember was raised on a Dairy farm with the dream of one day becoming an astronaut. Overall, this diversity contributed to the creation of a well-rounded crew that was capable of tackling any obstacle. I am proud to have had the honor to command such an incredible crew here at the MDRS and I look forward to working with them in the coming months as we analyze our data and prepare to publish our results.
Research Summaries
Developing a Dynamic Monitoring Instrument to Monitor Space Crew Function – Chelsea Iwig (Commander)
The goal of this research was to assess the effectiveness of multiple behavioral measures at detecting fluctuations in mood, team cohesion, stress, and other factors with the potential to affect team function. Specifically, these measures included the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM) test, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), a metric for team cohesion called the Group Environment Scale (GES), The Profile of Mood States (POMS), a metric for team productivity called the Work Environment Scale (WES), and the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSS). Data from these measures, gathered from Crew 121, will be used to support a larger research project aimed at creating a quantitative tool for measuring fluctuations in crew function in real-time. Preliminary results do identify some measures as being more effective than others, but a more detailed analysis of the data will be conducted upon returning from Crew 121’s session at the MDRS.
The Effect of Music on Stress in an Isolated and Confined Environment – Carolyn Newton (Executive Officer)
The goal of this study was to see if music affects stress in an isolated and confined environment. Five different genres were played twice during the course of 10 days. There were three days in which no music was to be played in the beginning, middle, and end of the two-week stay at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). So far, it seems as though the participants’ heart rate and blood pressure were lowest on the days that country was played. This was surprising because four out of the seven crewmembers claimed to dislike the country genre. Further analysis of the aforementioned POMS and PSS measures will show whether or not music, and the selected genres, have an effect on stress levels. Overall, the participants claimed to enjoy the experimental days in which some form of music was played over the control days.
The Effect of Habitat Design on Mood and Perception of the Habitat Environment – Gisela Munoz (Engineer)
The goal of this research was to assess the interior of the MDRS habitat and determine if it has an effect on crew behavior and psychological states. Factors contributing to habitability for isolated and confined environments found in previous research were discussed and tested with crewmembers to determine if they have a positive or negative effect on crew mood and perception of their environment. Crewmembers completed a questionnaire to rate certain factors of habitability such colors, lighting, acoustics, ventilation, odor, temperature, and overall habitat design. The crew was also interviewed individually to collect their personal views on their living experience at the MDRS. Behavioral measures such as the POMS were used to obtain quantitative data on crewmember mood. Preliminary results suggest that certain factors such as acoustics, odors, lighting, and temperature have an effect on crew member’s perception of habitability. Further analysis will be conducted after data collection is complete to obtain a more comprehensive view.
The Effect of Exercise on Mood in an Isolated and Confined Environment – Carlos Giraldo (Health and Safety Officer)
The goal of this study was to determine the effects exercise has on mood while under confinement. Throughout the past two weeks at the MDRS, the crewmembers feelings toward the workouts have evolved significantly. Although participants initially disliked the advanced workout simply because of the intensity, as time progressed, these negative feelings changed. The participants began feeling better and more awake after the advanced workout and felt like the moderate workout barely woke them up from their morning fog. These results at the end of the study match with the original hypothesis for this research. As the human body becomes accustomed to exercise and begins wanting more, moderate workouts are not sufficient to fuel one’s body. Eventually, as time progresses, the advanced workouts seem more like moderate workouts forcing one to create a more intense workout to satisfy the body’s drive. Further data analysis and personal interviews are needed before these conclusions can be fully supported.
Changes in Sleep Patterns in an Isolated and Confined Environment – Eric Watkins (Journalist)
Sleep is one of the central human functions with any day-by-day activities, even operating in isolated and confined environments. The purpose of this study was to monitor the sleep patterns of crewmembers during their 2-week mission with sleep and activity logs and wrist-worn devices, called actigraphs, which capture movement data to show sleep/wake cycles. Although we experienced a problem with the actigraphs during the mission due to software problems, we did collect valuable data on the crew’s sleeping patterns and perception of fatigue. We will compare these data with baseline data to be collected once the crew returns to “Earth” in order to obtain a normal sleep cycle and any after effects from the MDRS environment. Following the first 2-week period of being home, an additional recording will be taken to obtain the normal cycle of sleep from each participant.
The Effect of Horticulture Activity on Stress in an Isolated and Confined Environment – Jungmin (Amy) Seo (Crew Scientist)
The study conducted in the GreenHab focused on how active horticultural activities affect crew’s stress levels in an isolated and confined environment. During this experiment, the control group remained in the habitat, and the experimental group performed gardening chores in the GreenHab. The experiment lasted 1 hour every other day, and vitals were measured before and after the experiment. POMS and PSS questionnaires were also completed by every participant at the end of the day. According to collected vitals, the experimental group who participated in horticultural activity was observed to have more occasions of decreased blood pressure and heart rate. However, these are preliminary conclusions and do not include the results of the questionnaires. A more detailed analysis will be conducted once the crew returns to Embry-Riddle. Also, due to a small sample size and amount of data, more research is needed to further validate this research.
The Effect of Gaming on Mood in an Isolated and Confined Environment – Noah Feaster (Crew Scientist)
The purpose of this study was to determine if multi- and single-player games have an effect on the mood and stress levels of individuals in an isolated and confined environment. As the 2-week session comes to an end, all variations of multiplayer and single player game sessions have been completed. With sessions including both electronic games and traditional board games, a noticeable trend in mood was present. From observation alone, it is likely that games decrease stress and anxiety. However, when observing more intensely, it is apparent that multiplayer game sessions decrease stress and anxiety more than the single player game sessions. As for the electronic versus non-electronic game comparison, it seems to have a less noticeable trend. However, these conclusions are based on observations alone, but a more detailed analysis of the questionnaire results should support these trends.
For further information about the Mars Society, visit our website at www.marssociety.org.