International mission involving 6 astronauts from 5 countries will be conducted in an isolated environment simulating conditions on the Red Planet
Analog modeling of Mars AMADEE-24, organized by the Austrian Space Forum and the Armenian Space Agency, starts in Armenia. Special equipment for the mission was delivered to the test site in Armenia, where six astronauts of different nationalities will work to prepare for future missions to Mars from March 12 to April 5, 2024. The project attracted more than 200 scientists from 26 countries.
Astronauts will live and work in an isolated environment, leaving only wearing prototype OeWF Mars suits. Communications with the Mission Support Center in Vienna will have a delay of 10 minutes, simulating the distance to Mars. During experiments in robotics and geology, astronauts will use drones and robotic vehicles — analogues of Mars rovers — for environmental research and mapping, soil sampling and cargo transportation.
The mission is a simulation of conditions on Mars, during which the astronauts will be completely dependent on their crew to solve problems and problems. A team of specialists will be on site to ensure the safety of the crew and carry out any necessary repairs.
Simulation of activities on Mars under terrestrial conditions is a useful tool for the design of future missions. This helps to understand the benefits and limitations of planetary exploration missions, and also contributes to the development of remote science operations by exploring the capabilities and limitations of technologies and workflows.
The test site in Ararat province was chosen due to its geological and topographical similarity to Mars. The AMADEE-24 mission provides human-assisted instrument behavior research, development of platforms for testing life detection and geological exploration, robotic mission support, and high situational awareness from a remote command center