6 Days on Mars

After successfully completing an analog mission in a Mars simulation, I just became the first Jordanian analog astronaut and the first female Palestinian to participate in a space analog!

For 6 days and 5 nights, my crew and I lived in an underground cave aiming to simulate a Martian lava tube habitat with Astroland . It was truly one of the most intense and surreal experiences of my life.

There is so much to tell, I couldn't just make a post about it. So in this article I will talk about 6 main aspects: analog missions, training, habitat and living conditions, EVAs and experiments, then finally my main takeaways from this experience.

Analog Missions

Analog missions serve as valuable simulations of real space exploration missions, conducted on Earth in environments that mimic aspects of space travel. These missions involve teams of analog astronauts living in isolated, confined, and extreme conditions, often in remote locations, to replicate the challenges and conditions faced during space missions.

They provide a platform for testing and developing technologies, studying human behavior and performance in extreme environments, and conducting scientific experiments relevant to space exploration. These simulations allow scientists and astronauts to gain insights into mission operations, crew dynamics, psychological well-being, and various aspects of space travel, ultimately contributing to the advancement of space exploration and improving our understanding of how humans can thrive in space.

Our mission was the second BIOGENDER mission organized by Astroland, called the Libra mission. Our 6-person crew included 3 females and 3 males, following the first BIOGENDER mission which was all-female. The goal of these series of missions is to explore how gender differences may potentially influence future astronauts on Mars. Our diverse crew was made up of myself, Anisa, roboticist, Juliana, pilot in training, Michal, biotechnologist, Ophir, theoretical physicist, and Manos, biologist.

Training

Before embarking on the analog mission, the team underwent a comprehensive training schedule. Online training sessions were conducted to familiarize participants with mission objectives, protocols, and equipment. This included seminars on Psychology, Astrobiology, Communication, and Crew Dynamics. Once we arrived in Spain, we headed to the Astroland Center in Santander to begin the in-person training.

At Astroland, rigorous tests were administered to assess our mental resilience and cognitive abilities. This consisted of completing several psychological and personality tests, as well as mental processing tests using the same software as NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts. We continued performing these cognitive tests every day for the entire duration of the mission, to gain information about how astronauts' psychological health and abilities are impacted on long-duration Martian missions.

Finally, for physical training, the team engaged in climbing training at a specialized center, honing our skills and fostering trust amongst the crew. We learned how to use the harnesses and proper safety equipment to navigate the tricky terrain of the cave - although at that point I honestly did not really understand how dangerous it would be.

Habitat and Living Conditions

The mission took place in an underground cave in the Cantabria region of Spain. Hiking through the mountains to reach the cave, you are surrounded by greenery - a stark juxtaposition to the habitat inside. The aim of living in this type of environment is to simulate life inside Martian lava tubes, below the Martian surface. It is believed that these types of habitats on Mars will be the most likely way forward initially, as they can protect astronauts from the radiation on the Martian surface.

The cave itself is massive, and it takes about 30 minutes to get to the Ares station - the domes that make up our habitat. Using our climbing equipment and ropes for safety, we traversed the slippery rocks and steep landscapes to finally reach the habitat. As the sub-commander of the analog crew, I was also in charge of my crew’s safety.?I am accustomed to leadership positions, but it is definitely a whole different experience when your lives could be in danger.

During the mission, we survived off of freeze-dried food and limited water. We faced several emergency scenarios with no power or electricity, and delayed or no communication with Mission Control. We were completely isolated, and learned to live with the little resources we had - the same way future astronauts on Mars would.

Every day, we received a detailed schedule from Mission Control, outlining our tasks from EVAs, to workouts, to the food we would eat, and any other experiments to carry out. We also completed daily cognitive tests in order to compare our psychological health and functions to the previous baseline established during our pre-mission training.

EVAs and Experiments

During the analog mission, several EVAs (extravehicular activities) and experiments were conducted to advance scientific knowledge and human understanding. The EVAs involved donning our 20+ kg spacesuits, waiting 10 minutes in an airlock to simulate the depressurization process, then leaving the safety of the base to explore the cave beyond.

One significant aspect involved sample collection for astrobiology research, enabling the team to study the potential existence of life beyond Earth. These samples were then prepared and studied using the microscopes in the lab at the base, and will also be further analyzed back on Earth.

Another area of research was robotics in order to test the capabilities of advanced technology in space exploration, thanks to my crewmate Anisa Qureshi who brought along a rover she built. Together we developed some tests to verify the rover's functionality and ability to traverse the terrain of the cave, as well as identify potential improvements for the future.

Additionally, another crewmate Michal Mos brought along some plants - one for each crew member - in order to explore the profound connection between humans, nature, and music. Michal's company Plantuner develops music that helps plants grow and helps humans meditate, so the experiment included meditation sessions with our plants while different tracks were played, examining the effects of plant interaction on astronauts' well-being. This experiment was a lovely way to maintain our connection with the Earth, and I named my little Geranium plant Gaia as a representation of that.

Finally, we concluded the experiments on the last day of the mission with my VR study as part of my PhD research, providing a unique opportunity for the analog astronauts to experience the transformative perspective often reported by astronauts observing Earth from space - the Overview Effect. As you know, the goal of my research is to investigate the neuropsychological impact of the Overview Effect through virtual reality, in order to drive sustainability on Earth. Part of that is also understanding how much of this phenomenon is influenced by the extreme environments astronauts experience, so studying it in an analog setting allows us to explore some of the factors which may affect the outcome of the simulation.

The simulations I used for this experiment were provided by my research collaborator Annahita Nezami and her team at EarthscapeVR , who have done a truly wonderful job at bringing the Overview Effect simulations to life. I noticed clearly the impact this experience had on my fellow crewmates, and already have some promising results from the preliminary data analysis for my PhD research!

Ultimately, the goal of these EVAs and experiments is to push the boundaries of scientific exploration and human understanding, in order to better prepare astronauts for a future on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Takeaways

My two biggest takeaways from this experience are the representation of Jordan and Palestine in analog missions, and the overwhelming love I have for planet Earth.?

First, it was absolutely an honor for me to bring my countries with me.?It is always a privilege to be the first person from your community to reach a milestone, but also a huge responsibility - one that I do not take lightly.

I hope that by seeing their countries and flags represented in space, other Palestinians and Jordanians can believe that even their most ambitious goals are possible.

Reflecting back on the experience, I also kept coming back to this feeling of connection with the Earth. I guess I just didn't understand how much this kind of mission would impact me once I came out of the cave - the experience was an "Overview Effect" in and of itself.

After 6 days on Mars - 6 days of no sunlight, no fresh air, no trees, no Earth - you feel grateful even for the smallest things.?The feeling of wind blowing in my face and through my hair was the first thing that struck me when we came out of the cave. I didn’t realize just how much I missed that. The green surrounding us, the plants thriving all around. It seemed almost like a simulation, the scene was so surreal. Later seeing the colours of the sunset from the airplane window, I started to cry. I was filled with so much emotion, it was overflowing. It all truly began to sink in. The infinite beauty that surrounds us. The life that we take for granted.?

There is nowhere in this Universe that I would rather live than right here on our home planet. Nowhere I would rather work. Nowhere I would rather exist.?I would love to go to space, to the Moon, to experience the Overview Effect - but I will always, always want to come back to Earth.

I’ve been saying this for years:

The more I learn about space, the more I immerse myself in it, the more I come to appreciate planet Earth.?

This experience truly made me reflect on the things I am doing with my life, and I am so happy that I have reached a point where my work aligns with my values. From JSRI - Jordan Space Research Initiative , to my PhD in Sustainable Development and Climate Change | PhD SDC research, as well as my volunteer work with the Space Generation Advisory Council and Moon Village Association - this experience reaffirmed that I’m exactly where I need to be.?Several times in my mission journal, I talked about how excited I was that I found a way to bridge so many of my interests through analog missions.

I'm especially grateful to my research supervisor Gabriel G. De la Torre, PhD and the Neurotek Lab at the Universidad de Cádiz for providing me with this opportunity and sponsoring my mission, as well as to Astroland for creating this unique analog station which is unlike any other analog experience in the world.

Moving forward, I am excited to share more about the analog mission with my communities, take my learnings from this mission to continue developing the space industry in Jordan, and hopefully inspire other Palestinians and Jordanians to reach for the stars - or Martian lava tubes, as the case may be.

Ad astra!