Brooke Edwards, in her EVA gear, stands in front of the door to the simulated airlock. Note the famous Magritte image on the right. Photo courtesy of HI-SEAS.
By BROOKE EDWARDS
If you had told me a year ago that life would take me to Big Island, Hawai’i, where I would find myself living 8,000-plus feet above sea level for two weeks, I probably would not believe that was possible. Last month this is exactly what happened, earning myself the title of Analog Astronaut.
The title is fitting, as the experience is one of the closest possible simulations to visiting another world while still on Earth. There is practically no plant or animal life on the side of the Mauna Loa volcano, where we were stationed. The ground consists of hardened remnants of lava flow. The analog astronauts’ first impression is that they are on Mars.
The mission
Analog space missions take part around the world in remote locations to disconnect participants from most Earthly features. These missions play an important role in the future of human space exploration. Plans are being made to send humans back to the moon with NASA’s Artemis program (by 2024) and eventually to Mars. When humans arrive, they will need to know what works in these environments and what does not. For this reason, many choose to participate in “analogs” in preparation for applying to become real-life astronauts.
My mission, named Selene III, was with HI-SEAS (Hawaii Space Exploration Analog Simulation). The program is operated by International MoonBase Alliance. Once we arrived and entered the habitat, which is an approximately 1,200 square-foot dome, the “airlock” was shut behind us. Thus began our two-week lunar expedition.
The experience
Although we had perfect Earth gravity, not the moon’s 1/6 gravity of Earth, all aspects of the experience were made to be as realistic as possible. Even though it was possible to breathe outside the habitat, we could not exit without wearing spacesuits. When “on the moon” you must make do with what resources you bring on the mission. Food consists of non-perishable items: dehydrated meats, fruits, vegetables, beans and pasta. Water is rationed, which makes cleaning and bathing a challenge. Throughout the analog mission, we mostly used moist disposable wipes and cleaned dishes with a three-bucket system.
Communication with the outside world was limited, just as it would be on the Moon or Mars. Our smartphone SIM (subscriber identification module) cards were collected, and our access to the outside world consisted of back-and-forth emails with a 20-second delay.
My five crew members and I had to work together to make the mission successful, as our goals and lives depended on teamwork. This was especially true when venturing outside and into the fields of solidified lava, which can be dangerous to explore. Artemis lunar astronauts will experience these same challenges, and there is no room for error on the Moon.
Personal observations
In addition to tending daily to science experiments, each crew member had a role. Mine was to write posts for HI-SEAS social media accounts as the mission’s Science Communications Officer. Since access to social media was not allowed, I sent messages by email and someone from Mission Support on Earth uploaded the posts for me.
stay in the HI-SEAS habitat. Photo courtesy of HI-SEAS.
It is strange and lonely to not be able to see or hear your friends, family, significant other or any people on the “outside.” Once on the Moon, you and your crew are truly alone. Mental strength and amazing fellow space travelers make it much less emotionally tolling. Of course, it never hurts to have fun along the way! These factors will be extremely important to the success of human missions into far reaches of the solar system.
Overall, my analog mission at HI-SEAS was an unforgettable experience. My hope is that I was able to make an impact on future space exploration by contributing to research into human factors of solar system exploration or by inspiring future scientists and explorers.
I will never forget my time on “the Moon” as well as the great friends I made along the way.
To learn more, visit: https://www.hi-seas.org
