Yesterday evening, the Austrian Space Forum (@oewf) hosted a Twitter Q&A with MARS2013 Expedition Lead Gernot Groemer. For those who could not join us during the session, we have collected the many interesting questions and answers below:

Q: “When you dream, do you dream of Mars or of Earth?”

A: “We are not on Mars but not on Earth either but we dream of space exploration nonetheless.”

Q: “What do the analog-astronauts in their real life?”

A: “We have a researcher in the field of astrobiology, a student and an engineer who work in IT. (3 total).”

Q: “After two weeks in the desert, what was your most memorable experience?”

A: “The first steps on the first day of the simulation mode that a lot of things went right to get to this point.”

Q: “A girl today asked me during the Workshop at a High School in India How could she relate to such Mission in future as Biology student?”

A: “A lot of work is for astrobiology and we need biologists when we search for life on Mars to start with.”

Q: “What is the highest temperature measured inside a Auouda.X suit in Morocco?”

A: “The highest temp inside was around 30˚C which is the peak temp we can handle with the thermo control system.”

Q: “What was most unexpected compare to the Dachstein ice cave sim?”

A: “All the hardware we brought performed exactly as we expected. They are robust enough to survive 5 weeks in desert”

Q: “Können Marsonauten nach der Landung sofort gehen? Wenn ja auch mit Aouda?”

A: “Sie werden gehen können, aber mit einem Raumanzug Tage, wenn nicht Wochen bevor sie den Planeten erkunden können.”

A: “Aouda ist nur ein Raumanzug Simulator und ist leider nicht tauglich fuer die Raumfahrt.”

Q: “What is fundamentally different about #simulateMars that you would not find in e.g. #simulateMoon #simulateTitan, etc…”

A: “Titan: it’s the temperature (very cold liquid Methane), for the Moon it’s the missing time delay compared to Mars.”

Q: “what was the toughest moment Crew had to face during Mission? How are we going to plan to overcome such problem once we are on Mars”

A: “Challenge of the dust storms and we face them. Simulation-wise when we lose communication in critical moments.”

Q: “If @MarsOneProject knocked on your door one morning to place an order for 4 fully functional suits. Could you deliver ?”

A: “We could deliver but it would require time. We have the know how to deliver functional suits.”

Q: “Das heißt 20 Tage Aufenthalt auf dem Roten Planeten ist zu wenig?”

A: “20 Tage Aufenthalt ist zu wenig auf Mars.”

Q: “What letter will be the next Aouda suit?”

A: “We have not decided yet. We have Delta, Sierra and X-ray so far.”

Q: “why are there no female analog-astronauts?”

A: “The Aoudas could accomodate female analog astronauts but we did not have any apply for the job. Maybe you want to?”

Q: “Do yiou have any links to actual Mars mission planning yet? In other words: Will there be an Aouda ‘flight model’ suit?”

A: “We are in touch with mission planners. Aouda is a research prototype. A forerunner of the actual Mars suit.”

Q: “I know the expedition isn’t finished yet, but… any indication of potential scientific results on the horizon?”

A: “Most definitely. Details will be discussed at the science workshop in May and then published afterwards.”

Q: “Who is the main ‘customer’ for the suit and rover analogue data?”

A: “Client #1 are principal investigators, #2 are agencies interested in workflow #3 the OeWF itself #4 industry.”

Q: “Will it be open source in time?”

A: “Most of science data will be available for research and biomedical data is protected. Does that answer the Q?”

Q: “Do you have any idea how many miles the two suit simulators and the rovers have traveled in the desert?”

A: “A rough estimate would be around 600 kilometers.”

Q: “what if you get a free wish for you next project, what would you wish?”

A: “A pressurized rover and customized quad bikes.”

Q: “Again, given MARS2013 isn’t even finished, are there already any embrionic next plans (before PolAres arctic)…? Locations? Dates?”

A: “We are planning several short missions of 2-3 days, before heading for the arctic. No locations or dates fixed yet.”

Q: “in what decade do you predict a manned mission to Mars”

A: “We would say 2035 which means the first human is already born to set foot on Mars.”

Q: “Do you think Dennis Tito’s plan to go to Mars in 2018 is a publicity stunt?”

A: “2018 is not doable. Not rocket, no suit, no plausible launch window and no infrastructure.”

Q: “Did you experience any stress due to the communications time delay?”

A: “Most definitely. Biggest stress was waiting for critical response during simulated emergency.”

Q: “How long do the batteries last in the suit during an EVA?”

A: “That depends on the usage of thermo control and ventilation. About 4 hours.”

Q: “What would you say how much sleep you would get in average per night?”

A: “Depending on the Flightplan and dust storms between two and nine hours.”

Q: “How do you account for the lower gravity on Mars during your simulation?”

A: “Our suits are designed to give exactly the weight/force ratio you have on Mars.”

Q: “Is it physically demanding to wear the suit during the EVA ? How heavy are the suits ?”

A: “Working in the suit is physically demanding. 45kg, plus exoskeleton= trying to run in SCUBA suit.”

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Q&A and asked a lot of interesting questions, and don’t forget to follow the Austrian Space Forum on Twitter!

Developed by the Project for the Creation of the first Spanish Museum of Space Flight* (Project MEE), this exhibit consists of around thirty panels containing photographs and diagrams which describe the human interest in Mars, from the astronomical observations of the planet in the 19th Century to the future settlement of human bases on the Martian surface. Other items such as spacesuit cross-sections and outer layers, scale models and Mars soil simulants are also part of this exhibit which has been on display at several Spanish cities since 2006.

Most of the exhibit’s elements have been contributed by international space organizations such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the Department of Space Studies at University of North Dakota (UND Aerospace), and aerospace companies such as ILC Dover and Ecliptic Enterprises. The most recent contribution to this exhibit came from the Austrian Space Forum (OEWF). It consists of materials which document this organization’s efforts in Mars Research, such as the development of the Aouda.X Mars analogue suit which has been testing in Rio Tinto (Spain) in April 2011. The OEWF’s contribution to the exhibit “Destination Mars” include a couple of samples of the Aouda.X suit outer layer, an eight-centimetre, 3D model of the suit and some video footage from the tests conducted at Rio Tinto and other locations. Thanks to those elements, the exhibit visitors in the next openings will have the chance to know about the efforts OEWF is making in the field of Mars research.

Although there is no dates or places officially set for the exhibit’s next opening yet, “Destination Mars” is expected to visit Northern Spain in the next Fall.

(*) Project MEE is an initiative conceived in 1997 in the city of Cadiz which focuses on the creation of a science, educational centre for the people to have a direct access to everything related to space science and technology. Although it has no financial help of any kind, in these years Project MEE has evolved in a very positive way. Thanks to the invaluable contribution of materials from the international aerospace community and from individuals, the collections of Project MEE have been increasing continuously. Although the Spanish Museum of Space Flight has not a physical space to show its collections in a permanent way yet, the project is working on many aspects such as document restoration, development of educational activities and collaboration with institutions, among others. Likewise, Project MEE has already become a source of information for the educational community.

For further information:
Oscar A. Rodriguez Baquero
Manager, Project MEE
P.O. Box 2763 – E-11080 Cadiz (Spain)
Website: www.museoespacial.es
E-mail:*protected email*
Phone: +34649316961

Together with the university of Innsbruck (Young University, Institute for Ecology) and the national office for Kindergarden paedagics, scientists are working to give an insight into space science, especially with a view towards biology (astrobiology). Children as young as 4 – 6 years old are the target group of this project. With workshops, teaching material, science days, excursion to a planetarium and other methods their enthusiasm for science and space is awakened. Member of the forum have turned this enthusiasm into their profession – reason enough, for the second mayor of Innsbruck to pay a visit and let himself be caught by the children’s motivation.

The project gets financial support from the ministry of sciences as part of the “Sparkling Science Intitiative”. It has also won a € 2.000 price, which will be invested into new teaching materials. The final event of this project is going to take place on the 30th of June – on “Rocket Day” children will get a chance to build and launch their own (water) rockets, and also get a guided tour around the Institute of Astro- and Particle Physics at the University. The teachers will present their new teaching materials and methods.

Some feedback from the children (Kindergarden Haspingerstrasse, Innsbruck):

• “That was great to see that toilet paper flies around in an airplane, if you do not hold on to it!“
• “It’s strange that people are flying around there (in a zero G environment) – but I’d like to be able putting on a space suit!.”
• “The planets did sound like my heart” (Note: this comes from the project “Astronomy with all senses.