The Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) has released the initial photos from the trials of OeWF spacesuits and robots, which could potentially be used in future human expeditions to Mars. These tests are currently underway near the village of Armash located in Armenia.
The Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) has released the initial photos from the trials of OeWF spacesuits and robots, which could potentially be used in future human expeditions to Mars. These tests are currently underway near the village of Armash located in Armenia.
The tests are being carried out in Armenia because researchers believe that the local terrain closely resembles that of Mars. A team consisting of four men and two women will deploy robots and evaluate new spacesuits in complete isolation. Additionally, they will assess equipment designed for detecting potential signs of life on Mars.
The spacesuits utilized in the test are designed to withstand the extreme weather conditions on Mars, where temperatures fluctuate between -133 and +27 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the robots undergoing testing are tasked with generating a 3D map of the area, collecting soil samples, and transporting heavy loads.
The researchers involved in the experiment maintain continuous communication with a control station established jointly by the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) and the Armenian Space Agency. Radio communication is intentionally delayed by 10 minutes, mimicking the signal delay experienced between Mars and Earth.
In total, over 200 scientists from 26 countries are participating in the project. The research team is scheduled to work in Armenia until the beginning of April.
