Simulated Mars habitat located near the remote Ramon Crater, Israel. Photo: D-MARS

Spacecom, together with the Desert Mars Analog Ramon Station (D-MARS), announced a joint experiment whereby the AMOS 7 satellite will provide communication links for analog astronauts located in a specially constructed simulated Mars habitat located near the remote Ramon Crater, Israel to an off-base operations and control center. The purpose of this international experiment conducted with the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), will be to further test aspects of long range-interplanetary space communications as well as examine challenges and issues that arise from manned planetary missions.

The D-MARS space analog center will simulate the conditions of a real Mars scientific exploration mission to better understand the experiences of analog astronauts and find solutions for challenges that could occur. Located in the harsh desert environment near the Ramon Crater in Southern Israel that holds similarities to the Martian environment in its geology, aridity and isolation, D-MARS goal is to promote the space sector, science and technology in Israel, by creating infrastructure for academic research, technological development and educational programs.

“The D-MARS project pulls Israel to the forefront of space, and particularly Mars, exploration. With the AMOS-7 satellite, we are adding an interplanetary-type communications facet to our experiments by simulating various challenges for our analog astronauts to handle and overcome. This is an amazing opportunity, and made even more so by our cooperation with Austria’s OeWF, which will be conducting a simultaneous analog experiment in collaboration with ours in Israel,” said Hillel Rubenstein, D-MARS project manager.