M.A.R.S. UCLouvain - Crew 227

M.A.R.S. UCLouvain 2020-21 – Crew 227

Our team, M.A.R.S. UCLouvain 2020-21, is the 227th crew to take part in the MDRS project since its beginnings in 2001. It is also the 9th team from UCLouvain. Our crew is composed of PhD and Master students.

The rotation that was assigned to us starts the 28th of March 2021 and ends two weeks later, the 10th of April. Initialy, we were planned for April 2020, but our mission was posponed due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Log Book

Team Building at the Euro Space Center

March 22nd 2021

We’ve had the opportunity to spend a full day at the Euro Space Center 🚀 to discover their brand new facilities. We were stunned by the number of activities proposed as well as by their scientific and visual quality. 🤩 Among them, we particularly appreciated the gyroscopic chair, the moonwalk simulator, the Martian village and the planetarium.

What we love about this center is its ability to make space accessible to everyone. Numerous stays are organized there to allow the youngest to discover this fantastic universe of space exploration. Moreover, activities are also organized for schools and companies. 👩‍🚀

Once again, we would like to thank the Euro Space Center for their invitation as well as all the staff who welcomed us like kings and who transformed this day into a real interstellar journey. 🪐 If you wish to live an equally captivating experience, have a look at their website ! 🛸

Covid-19 Measures

March 19th 2020

Special message from the 2020 Crew :

Due to the current Covid-19 crisis, we must, as many, adapt our behaviour. Washing our hands and coughing in our elbow weren’t enough.
Our crew had to take a really hard but necessary decision about the 2020 mission : we cancelled this year’s simulation at the MDRS (even though we all know no other place would have been better for some social distancing 😉)

However, thanks to the kind and understanding members of the Mars Society, we managed to postpone the mission to April 2021 ! 🚀

We will of course keep you updated with information about our preparation and the planning for the comming months. In the meantime, take care of you and your family ❤️
Stay safe, stay home.

The 2020 crew

Fast assessment of mineral content on Martian-like soil with portable XRF device

Study of the survival of human flora bacteria as well as efficacy of several antibiotics under Martian environmental conditions.

Study of the efficacy of a potential living-antibiotic, the bacterium Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus, inside and outside a research station in a Mars-like environment

Terrain modelling by Synthetic Aperture Radar

Preparing our experiments for the mission

February 17th 2020

Have a look at what we will be realising during our stay at the Mars Desert Research Station.

New sponsor ! Thanks SABCA

January 21th 2020

SABCA is, once again, supporting UCL to Mars.
We even had a visit at their headquarters in Brussels !

News from previous years’ crew

November 17th 2019

When UCL to Mars is used as a stepping stone in research projects.

Read the article about the implications of Michael‘s project 2 years ago.

The 2020 Crew presentation

October 22th 2019

Meet Crew 227, leaving for Mars April 2020.

From left to right:
Cyril Wain (Crew Astonomer)
Elisabeth Mauclet (Crew Journalist)
Maxime de Streel (Crew Engineer)
Kilian Dekoninck (Crew Commander)
Ophélie Remy (Crew Scientist)
Brieuc de Voghel (Crew Executive Officer)
Arthur Monhonval (Crew GreenHab Officer)
Audrey Comein (Crew Health and Safety Officer)