Most People Don't Know That Mars Is Right Here On Earth At This Utah Research Station
By Catherine Armstrong|Published July 15, 2019
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
The distance from Earth to Mars is at leaste 33.9 million miles, depending on each planet’s position in its orbit around the sun. That’s a long trip, but right here in Southern Utah there’s a place that sure looks like Mars, and it’s home to researchers and students who are dedicated to learning more about the possibility of traveling to our nearest neighboring planet.
The Mars Desert Research Station, or MDRS, is located in Hanksville. Founded in 2001, the research station has briefly been home to more than 1,000 people over the last 19 years.
Scientists, engineers, and college students come from all over the world to participate in eight-month field seasons. Crews take part in two or three-week missions, where they simulate life on Mars.
During their missions, crew members work, eat, and sleep inside the six structures of the MDRS campus. Every part of their day is conducted as if they were actually on the planet Mars. The structures are connected by an above-ground tunnel system.
They grow enough food to sustain themselves in the GreenHab, a 12x24-foot space that's climate controlled. Crew members care for the plants, and conduct research that might someday be used to grow food on Mars.
More than 200 crews have completed missions since the research station was built. The missions are rigorous, but also serve as a unique opportunity to further space exploration.
Unfortunately, the public can't visit MDRS - it's just for researchers and students. If you're interested in seeing what goes on here, follow the station's Facebook page, and read the logs of the current mission on its website.
