Use of the mars desert research station for research technical development, education, & outreach to enable the US vision for space exploration phase II increasingly ambitious human missions to the…

Use of the mars desert research station for research technical development, education, & outreach to enable the US vision for space exploration phase II increasingly ambitious human missions to the moon and mars will require astronauts to conduct planetary field exploration under unique conditions and constraints never before experienced by humans. Now is the time to rigorously test various exploration strategies and learn to optimize the productivity and effectiveness of these future astronaut explorers in support of the new presidential vision to send humans to the moon, mars, and beyond. A credible science-driven exploration campaign of the lunar and martian surfaces will require advanced knowledge of how to most effectively live and work under such extreme conditions. The only way to learn how to conduct extraterrestrial field science is to develop the procedures, robotic capabilities, and human-machine interfaces by doing actual field science in terrestrial analog settings under similar constraints as will be experienced on an extraterrestrial field mission expedition. With spaceward bound funding was have conducted a series of student stimulations. Based on that experience we propose to conduct further field programs that will focus on training students in field work in mars-like exploration. Work to be conducted at the mars desert research station (mdrs) in the southwest U.S. Will provide an extremely cost-effective, safe, and productive means of enabling the exploration vision through the use of pre-existing infrastructures in this planetary analog environment. Scientific field work conducted at the mdrs site is to be used as a tool to enable NASA's solar system exploration. By taking this approach we will not only add valuable knowledge to the scientific community but also contribute to the development of operational and logistical protocols for conducting field science and exploration on other planetary bodies. Furthermore, by allowing people to partially experience human planetary exploration, analog field work at the mdrs provides a unique opportunity for education and outreach in support of the VSE. The mars society is therefore seeking NASA funding to enable enhanced direct participation by teachers and students as crew persons in mdrs activities.