AMSAT - Mars? (Sent to AMSAT-Bulletin Board)
Hams could help out the MARS Society Habitat simulations with some Ham radio. In fact, some of these simulation stations are in some pretty rare Grids!
The Mars Society has a number of MARS simulation stations on Earth called "Analog Stations". Two of these, MDRS & FMARS offer a "near-to experience" for future Martian dwellers... Since the first "Crew 1" of 2001, the Crews have displayed techniques for:
* Growing sustainable crops to survive, * Health & Medical care * Habitability & Water Reclamation. * Geodesics and Photogrammetry. * UAVs & Rovers
What they lack is a realistic communications system to simulate the kinds of remote communications they would actually use on the planet. Hams could consider projects to help the Mars Society in establishing some meaningful amateur radio between and around the camps.
Having the Mars-o-nauts and mission control operators get their licenses reminds these operators the importance of their radio studies. Example are:
1) Mission Control Radio Communication ( HF Med / High Power Colorado and New Mexico ) For "checking in" and reporting status of accomodations.
2) Point-to-Point Communication ( VHF - Low Power ) Mars has no ionosphere, therefore line-of-sight radio is handled by GMRS or 2 Meter Simplex Modes Further Distance coverage is handled by a Remote, solar-powered, Repeater Station(s).
3) Telemetry ( VHF / UHF - Low Power using APRS ) for Weather, Seismic Sensor, Tracking, EVA Suit & Health, power charge monitoring.
4) Position reporting ( VHF / UHF - Low Power using APRS) RDF, APRS and EPLRS Methods can be used because by the time man and women arrive on MARS, there will be a network of GPS-MARS satellites to support exploration. In addition Radio Direction Finding can be useful for Search & Rescue.
6) Satellite Communications - OSCAR SATS [any or all available] ( VHF - 20 to 35 Watts ) Remote Satellite Dish Controller and Program for Obrital Predictions. Exercising the practice of tracking and piloting a Supply Ship to and from the surface.
7) Power Management Monitoring ( VHF / UHF - Low Power ) Solar / Thermal / RTG Power Plants and Storage Arrays.
8) Enhanced UAV - ( VHF / UHF - Low Power) Ground Penetrating Radar. Geodesics - LIDAR and Photogrammetry. Seismic Sensor positioning. 9) Packet Digipeating ( VHF simulating MARS networks) Wireless internet - Multi-node - Global coverage.
The Mars Society's Analog Stations of Hanksville, Utah, and Devon Island, Northern Canadian Reaches have been established over 15 years at locations almost identical to the Martian terrain, but with air. Well over 1,000 Crew Members have dedicated their studies of alternate foods, longevity, geology, mapping, power generation, tomography, astronomy, terraforming, fuel production.... ...anything....everything humanly devised, to be put to the task here and, out there.
Seen from their Crew Reports, there's been limited use of telemetry, tracking and radio to date. This is a good opportunity for ham radio Elmers participate and consider what could be used on Mars and then help in setting it up (as well as get new experimenters, and scientists into the hobby)
Think about this opportunity to involve Ham radio in not only the future of planetary exploration but also in involving these active and enthusiastic experimenters into a life long persuit of the joy of radio communications. Consider what you or yourClub can do to participate, or provide Equipment Donations that can be the instruments of success to this endeavour. The Mars Society is a nonprofit, and welcomes donations pertinent to their mission goals. ( www.marssociety.org )