MDRS 2006

2006 saw my last research mission (at least for the time being) to the Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), a Mars-base analog simulation facility located in the most Mars-like area of the Utah desert. Again I was the mission commander, responsible for everything from crew selection and training to research planning to running the actual mission on site. Crew 47 continued the proud tradition of Georgia Tech crews.

Here are a few pictures of the experience; many more are in my Google Photos album. Links to more information can be found at the bottom of this page.

Don't forget to check out my 2003 mission to the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station near the North Pole, and my other adventures at MDRS: Crew 5 in 2002, and Crew 37 in 2006.

Please contact me if you want full-resolution versions or if you plan to use any of these pictures.

The Mars Desert Research Station in southwestern Utah (38.406449N 110.791912W)

Jenny taking sextant measurements as part of a navigation experiment

Anne and Jason discovering simulated Mars

Anne surveying a canyon to the north of the hab

Meryl taking pictures of the quite Martian landscape

Emily, a nuclear engineer, upgrading the hab's power generator

Anne and Jason enjoying dinner in the hab's wardroom

Jason giving an interview to
Country Music Television [sic]

Screenshot of APRS-transmitted locations during EVA05

Google Earth visualization of MDRS waypoints and EVA04 track (KMZ file here)

Crew training: overnight winter hike in the North Georgia mountains

Google Earth visualization of our overnight hike (KMZ file here)

Crew training: enjoying the sunshine during our day hike (KMZ track log here)

More Information