X-Nico

4 unusual facts about Mars Desert Research Station


Mars Desert Research Station

For safety reasons, there is always one crew member in the HAB to act as Hab-Com in case anything goes wrong on the extra-vehicular activity (EVA).

Hand held radios mounted on the suits' helmets (with externally mounted push to talk switches) are used to communicate with Habitat communication base (Hab-com) and with fellow analogue Mars surface explorers on the same EVA.

Destinations for EVAs can be chosen from an established waypoint database and traveled to either on foot or by ATV.

Other experiments include a study of the effect of EVAs on the heart rates and blood pressures of crew members, a human factors study that examine the correlation between cognitive ability and mood and a study on how much a space suit inhibits dexterity in comparison to regular street clothes.


BYU Mars Rover

The rover competes annually in the University Rover Challenge (URC) near Hanksville, Utah at the Mars Desert Research Station, and is currently being evaluated for research use.


see also