From Earth to Mars or from Austria to Armenia
Analog astronauts in spacesuits: the explorations for future missions on Mars have brought the 6 analog astronauts to Armenia’s Ararat province.
YEREVAN, ARMENIA, March 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Mount Ararat, azure blue sky, a rocky plateau reminiscent of Mars, red soil and… analog astronauts in spacesuits: the explorations for future missions on Mars have brought the 6 analog astronauts to the village of Armash in Armenia’s Ararat province.
Chosen for its geological and topographical similarities to the Red Planet, the village of Armash is the testing ground for the “AMADEE-24” Mars Analog Mission, where, on March 12, the analog astronauts underwent a month-long isolation at the “Mars station,” a simulated test site.
“AMADEE-24” is a flagship program in the field of analog space technology research managed by the “Austrian Space Forum,” hosted and implemented by the “Armenian Aerospace Agency” and the “Armenian Space Forum.”
Hayk Aslanyan, a member of the Armenian initiative group, expressed, “We are honored to host the ‘AMADEE-24’ in Armenia. This presents a remarkable opportunity for the younger generation to pursue a professional path within the space industry. The exchange contributes to the reborn Space sector in Armenia and announces a new era of space research, as the Mars Habitat will continue to live and become home for new scientists in the field.”
Accompanying the analog astronauts, Gernot Grömer, the director of the Austrian Space Forum has also arrived in Armenia. “Besides succeeding, our primary goal for the mission is also identifying potential issues that can benefit astronauts in future Mars missions. Who knows? Perhaps the first Martian was born in Armenia and attends first grade (laughs). However the path to Mars is, it will symbolize a fusion of the red and white of the Austrian flag and the red, blue, and orange of the Armenian flag,” Mr. Grömer stated.
The Deputy Commander of the analog astronaut crew, Robert Wild expressed his excitement on being in Armenia, “This is the case where the host country is really a great host in every way. The scientific experiments that we will be conducting here lay the foundation for future Mars explorations, in terms of ideas and concepts.”
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry, Avet Poghosyan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to Armenia, Thomas Mühlmann (residence in Tbilisi), Head of Coordination Office for Technical Cooperation in Armenia (ADA) Klaus Kapper, ADA representative Gabriele Haselsberger, Austrian Defence Attaché to Armenia, Col. Thomas Ahammer, and Head of Mission European Union Mission in Armenia, Markus Ritter.
“This is the Armash Mars Analog Research Station, requesting a go or no-go decision for the mission start․”
“The Mission Support Center in Vienna is GO for the launch of the AMADEE-24 Mission!”
Just as communications travel from Earth to Mars, from Vienna to Armash, with a 10-minute delay, the connection between the parties was established, and the start of the simulation mission to Mars was announced.
“In 15-20 years, when the first human steps on Mars, each of you can proudly tell your children that you were a part of this historic journey,” said Gernot Grömer, as the astronauts, amid applause, departed for the habitat, a place of isolation for the mission.
The general partner of the project is GTB Holding, strategic partners are Aren Mehrabyan Foundation, Engined AM, Instigate and “Real School”, and technology partners are Team Telecom Armenia, PROFAL, VEGA and Shell.
