Days:
April 24th-27th, 2020.
Members of the mission:
Davi Souza
Executive chief
Avgoustos Pantazidis
Chief engineeer
E-mail: dalmomucio@gmail.com
George Profitiliotis
Invited Researcher
Prof. Julio Rezende
Commander
General objective:
Evaluates sustainability issues in space habitats and improve the methodology of virtual and missions.
Presentation
The mission 36 was the first international mission, with the participation of Avgoustos Pantazidis and George Profitiliotis (Invited Researcher), both are members of the Greek NewSpace Society from Greece. In this case, all conversation and reports were in English. Were identified opportunities of research and ways to improve the methodology of virtual and hybrid missions. During Sunday (April 26th, 2020) was developed a live presentation with a good number of participants from different countries.
Activities developed in the mission:
- Test of the virtual and hybrid missions methodology;
- Broadcast of live from Habitat Marte;
- Construction of articles for ICSD 2020 and Mars Convention 2020;
- Construction of the Deep Water Culture – DWC aquaponic system in Habitat Mars.
April 24, 2020 (Friday)
TIME (GMT)
|
Activity
|
0h-4h
|
- Preparation of methodology.
|
11h-13h
|
- Preparation of methodology.
|
12h
|
- First contact with the crew.
|
13h-15h
|
- Beginning of the mission;
- video call with the whole team;
- Mission reports;
- Referrals (Next activities);
- Presentation of the basic guidelines for virtual missions;
- presentation of the offline task 1: space habitats management and support technologies.
|
15h-19h
|
- Preparation of the report and off-line activities. Interactions using Whatsapp group.
|
17h-18h30m
|
- Presentation of the Journey of fantasy;
- Video call for evaluation of offline task 1 and Habitat Mars presents task 2: food production systems.
|
18h30m -24h
|
- Preparation of the report.
|
April 25, 2020 (Saturday)
TIME (GMT)
|
Activity
|
10h-13h
|
- Report working. Considerations of methodology.
|
13h-15h05m
|
- Sky conditions in Athens: sunny
- Sky conditions in Natal: cloudy
- Temperature in Athens: 22.
- Temperature in Natal: 26 – 28 (10h35).
- Video call for evaluation of offline task 2 and Habitat Marte presents task 3: sanitation.
|
15h05m-16h
|
- Meeting of Julio and Davi.
|
16h-17h
|
- Lunch time (Julio).
|
17h-18h
|
- Preparation of the report.
|
18h-19h15m
|
- Video call to evaluate the offline task 3 and Habitat Marte presents task 4: energy.
|
19h15m-22h30m
|
- Travel to Habitat Marte (Local time: 16h15m-19h30m)
|
22h30m-23h
|
- Organization of Habitat Marte
|
23h-23h30m
|
- Cosmic observation.
|
23h30m-0h
|
- Notes of the mission.
|
April 26, 2020 (Sunday)
TIME (GMT)
|
Activity
|
0h-1h
|
- Dinner in Habitat Marte: bread, cheese and grape juice.
|
1h-4h20m
|
- Preparation of the report.
|
8h55m-9h
|
- Awake.
|
9h-10h-
|
- Preparation of the report. (Habitat Marte – Brazil).
|
10h
|
- Temperature: 26,5,
- Moisture: 71%,
- It is cloudy in Habitat Marte.
|
10h-11h
|
- Analysis of technical aspects of Habitat Marte. Registering some videos.
|
11h-11h20m
|
- Breakfast.
|
11h20m-12h
|
- Construction of the Deep Water Culture – DWC aquaponic system.
- Video-call with Dalmo Santos (former member and aquaponics chief-scientist)
|
12h-13h30m
|
- Live from Habitat Marte: Theme: sustainability, energy and virtual presentation of Habitat Marte facilities.
Access: https://hangouts.google.com/call/bg9Q1urUje4NeWreE4nVAEEE
|
13h45m-15h25m
|
- Travel from Habitat Marte to Natal (Local time: 10h45m-12h25m).
|
15h25m-16h20m
|
- Preparation of the report. (Habitat Marte – Brazil).
|
16h20m-17h10m
|
- Lunch time. (Julio Rezende– Brazil).
|
17h10m-18h
|
- Preparation of the report. (Habitat Marte – Brazil).
|
18h-19h15m
|
- Live evaluation;
- Video call to evaluate the offline task 5: education.
|
19h15m-20h15m
|
- Meeting with Davi Souza.
|
20h15m -24h
|
- Preparation of the report. (Habitat Marte – Brazil).
|
April 27, 2020 (Monday)
TIME (GMT)
|
Activity
|
0h-4h
|
- Preparation of the report.
|
12h-12h30m
|
Considerations on the final report
- Video call for next steps to conclude the mission.
|
12h30m-14h
|
- Preparation of abstract version to ICSD 2020 on Space quality education: resilience during pandemics.
- Julio Rezende prepared his final video reports on participation in mission 36.
|
14h
|
Considerations on local data:
- Sky conditions in Athens: sunny;
- Sky conditions in Natal: sunny;
- Temperature in Athens: 23;
- Temperature in Natal: 29.
|
14h-15h
|
- Final video call and evaluation of the mission;
- End of the mission.
|
Results and final and final considerations
From the 24th to the 27th of April 2020, the thirty-sixth mission of the Habitat Mars research station took place. The mission 36 team was composed by researchers and analog astronauts Davi Souza (executive chief), Avgoustos Pantazidis (chief engineer), George Profitiliotis (Invited Researcher) and professor Julio Rezende (commander). The mission had a special focus on space habitats sustainability.
This was the first mission with more than 72 hours, reaching 87 hours and 4 days of mission. It was also the first mission with participants which are not in Brazil.
This is the second hybrid mission. Hybrid missions involve: 1) remote activities (remotely, carried out in a virtual way) and 2) in person (involving in situ operations to support the operation of Habitat Marte).
In the first day of mission, Observing the experience of Avgoustos Pantazidis, in different Mars analog habitat it is interesting exist protocols to observe in the participants:
- Medical tests: Beginning and end of the mission;
- Weight;
- Heart rate;
- Blood pressure;
- Oxygen in the blood;
- Use of wearables: how many steps during the day/ calories;
- Medical test after the missions.
Topics related to scheduled routines, safety procedures (for task performing) and management inside of space analog habitats were discussed. According to that, workout activities experienced by Avgoustos Pantazidis in other analog stations was considered very useful to improve crew performance, ensure the physical and mental well-being of participants, including a rest-time between activities that require greater physical effort.
During the second day, We had a meeting with Davi Souza (chief executive), Avgoustos Pantazidis (chief engineer), Julio Rezende (commander) and the Invited Researcher George Profitiliotis. We had very good discussion about many topics:
According to George Profitiliotis: Habitat Marte is the only Space Mars analog research station in the World using aquaponic system for self-sustainability, also been the largest greenhouse in World. These are the stronger points of Habitat Marte. Other analog space habitats is not capable to produce food as a permanent research.
George Profitiliotis mention that China is recycling 90% of waste of nutrients. They will apply these knowledge for the development of Yuegong-1. Moon Palace (China space station). They are investing in insect farming. The challenge is produce meal based in worms, process and create a powder used to be used in meal preparation. According to him, China researchers are using hydroponic to produce plants not to eat, but to feed animals and insects. This would be the highest fidelity circular system. More about Yuegong-1 can be find in: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuegong-1.
It was also considered the operation of a sustainable and closed-loop agricultural ecosystems for growing food in Habitat Marte. In this case, was noticed that is still necessary to present some directions for harvesting and storage of produced food to cover dietary needs and guarantee health during long-term manned missions. Besides that, regular management of aquaponic system presented itself as an important challenge during in person missions. The discussions in virtual meeting showed how important is turning tasks like constant monitoring more comfortable for crew members. For Davi Souza, allowing an interactive contact with crops production can be presented as a creative approach to create an individual resilience strategy.
Habitat tight controls and use of parameters can be useful to set up a system with human interaction. As presented in the CYCLAMINA (Cybernetic Companion Plants To Mitigate Insufficient Interaction With Nature) research shared by George Profitiliotis: “Cognitive, behavioral, psychological, and psychosocial risks must be monitored and mitigated, especially in the case of long-duration planetary operations”.
Was observed an interesting research develop in Germany: the Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System - CEBAS: https://www.ohb-system.de/cebas-english.html. The model of research operated by they would be useful for Habitat Marte.
In the second meeting of Saturday, were identified 4 possible topics on research to be presented in the Mars Society Convention:
1) MARS SOCIETY: methodologies of virtual missions and Our experiences in the missions and the answer to coronavirus social isolation;
2) Mars / Space recycling;
3) Energy and water supply in Mars analog research stations
4) Mars simulant soil research in Brazil and Greece (discussing our research applied in Brazil)
Saturday was a busy day, In the end of afternoon (16h15m Brazil time), Julio Rezende travelled to Habitat Marte where worked in the technical report.
Sunday (April, 26th 2020) was developed more one step in process of construction of the new aquaponic system based in the Deep Water Culture – DWC model: were connected pipes of water supply and add expanded clay for the purification of the system. Not was possible partially test the filter because the energy not was working adequately. Was also done a video call with Dalmo Santos (former member and aquaponics chief-scientist).
During Sunday happened a Live in English from Habitat Marte, starting 12h PM (9h – Brazil time and 15h – Greece Time). The live was transmitted from Habitat Marte with tens of participants from different parts of the World was one highest points in the Habitat Marte history. The live was very interesting as a form to interact with international audience.
During the Live was presented the activities developed in Habitat Marte:
- Build the infrastructure,
- Maintenance and cleaning,
- research,
- protocols to keep the health in aquaponic system,
- develop new technologies, as SpaceAqua.
The Live was also an opportunity of innovation about to think new protocols as suggested by George Profitiliotis. One of the objectives of Habitat Marte educational outreach is to provide resilience and help farmers on Earth. Related to that, implementing a self-contained growth system in vulnerable communities could provide a year-round food production and high yield to fight hunger and poverty. We believe that the development of innovative guidelines for plant growth is also needed to protect environment and mitigate climate change effects.
In the time to return (13h40m GMT), the car presented difficulty to start. During the travel the vehicle presented a very bad smell coming from the engine compartment. Later, just arriving in Natal the radio and other electrical functions stopped to work. Julio Rezende arrived safe in his home.
Were identified some opportunities of discussions and research related to the operation of MARS Group - Mars and Arid Regions Habitats Sustainability (www.marsrgroup.blogspot.com), based in Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte – UFRN (Brazil):
- Spacesuits;
- Microalgee;
- Cabugi soil sample to prepare Mars simulant;
- Use the plant of Moringa oleifera: to develop possible application to future
The Mars Group would want to invite researchers (students and professors) from Brazil and other countries to collaborate in the topics. About future studies on space analog habitats comparison, some elements to be considered are:
- pre-existent scientific experiments;
- isolation of the urban area;
- distance from the roads;
- area for EVAs;
- proximity to a volcano;
- Use of Dried food;
- Use of swipes;
- Initiatives of space agriculture;
- Quantities of members in the missions.
Some possible future actions for Habitat Marte are:
1 - create an article in Wikipedia talking about Habitat Marte accomplishments with links to all reports;
2 - Create a new protocol for food production, considering: 1) a menu; 2) ways to produce food; 3) kinds of food; 4) different foods with combinations to analog astronauts; 5) Ways to cook meals;
3 - A survey on satisfaction on how to prepare meals using novalty and creativity (psychology approach). We would have more fun during the meal preparation and food consumption.
4 - install of a barbecue grill in the lounge. More good interaction and stronger ties between the crew members…
5 - develop steps for use of rocks and soil from Cabugi Volcano (40 km of distance) to develop Mars soil simulant.
The mission happens with very good activities and with good results. We would like to to congratulate Greek NewSpace Society for all support to the mission.
More information about the missions and the Habitat Mars can be found at www.HabitatMarte.com.
Julio Rezende (commander) and Davi Souza (executive chief).
