Episode 37: Spaceward Bound
10.31.07
: Ben Corbin and Robbie Citron, Spaceward Bound participants
(0:00) Intro
(0:20) Interview with Ben Corbin and Robbie Citron. Spaceward Bound student participants Ben Corbin and Robbie Citron describe their expedition to the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah.
Spaceward Bound →
Mars Desert Research Station →
(16:37) A notice of intent for high school students to participate in a
NASA aeronautics essay competition → about air transportation in 2058 is due Dec. 15, 2007.
(18:23) End
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Transcript
Deana Nunley: This is NASA Student Opportunities -- a podcast connecting high school and college students with learning opportunities inside America's space agency.
Episode 37. Oct. 31, 2007. I'm Deana Nunley.
Deana Nunley: NASA's plans for future exploration call for humans to return to the moon by 2020, and then go on to Mars and beyond. The first Mars walkers and many of the next moonwalkers are students today. And one of the opportunities NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate offers to help students prepare for future missions is Spaceward Bound. It's a two-week student training and research mission to the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. The missions are open to graduate and undergraduate students, recent graduates and teachers.
Crew members are involved in all aspects of mission planning -- from logistics to research to advanced extravehicular activities training. Students perform actual research on local geology, crew member physiology and microbiology. They conduct field-testing on new extravehicular activity hardware, rig data loggers and perform work-study task and procedure analysis. Crews typically work 12- to 15- hour days and are expected to conduct themselves as leaders.
In this week's interview segment, we'll talk with a couple of members of Spaceward Bound Crew 53 about their December 2006 expedition.
[Music]
Let's start with brief introductions. Tell us your name, where you go to school, what you're studying, what you plan to do when you graduate.
Ben Corbin: My name is Ben Corbin, and I am a senior at the University of Central Florida. I'm studying aerospace engineering, and I'm still deciding what grad school I'll be going to once I graduate.
Robbie Citron: And I'm Robbie Citron. This fall, I'll be going into my fourth year at the University of Chicago, and I study physics and math.
Deana: Robbie, what was your role with Crew 53 on Spaceward Bound?
Robbie: I was the crew physicist/astronomer. Basically, it was just a mission support role. I helped with the multiple experiments we had and going on EVAs (extravehicular activities), taking the samples. And also, all of us helped with developing the Spaceward Bound curriculum, which was one of the major objectives of the mission. That was to develop a curriculum for the future Spaceward Bound missions and for the entire program, so students could come in and have this curriculum to follow certain mission objectives. And so, at the end of the [weeklong] program, they'd get a certificate or something like that to show they completed this mission that might be linked to university credit or stuff like that.
Deana: Ben, what was your role on Spaceward Bound, Crew 53?
Ben: I was the chief engineer. Most of my primary responsibilities were keeping the station alive. Whenever there was a power outage, I was the one that had to go fix it. Whenever there was a filter clog somewhere in the GreenHab, I was the one that was designated to go fix it. I had a lot of help. Just because I had the title of chief engineer doesn't mean I actually knew how to fix everything. Robbie helped me out a lot on the GreenHab things. But those were my primary responsibilities. I was also helping out with the extravehicular activities and helping write the Spaceward Bound curriculum program.
Deana: What's it like when you get accepted and you actually go to the Mars Desert Research Station? What do you see when you get there?
Ben: Well, we first got out there -- we drove there at night -- and the most amazing thing I saw at the beginning was just the number of stars that you could see because we were so far away from any cities or anything. And then we finally got there. We see this giant capsule sitting in the middle of a field. The station itself is, I think, a 25-foot-radius cylinder, two stories tall. The bottom floor is kind of a research lab, the shower area, the bathroom, the workbench and the extravehicular activity air locks, as well as suit storage. The top floor is our workstations, our kitchen and our bedrooms. And then there's an attic where we have some of our water supplies and storage.
Robbie: I was really surprised at how comfortable the "hab" was. The crew quarters were a bit cramped, but they were perfectly comfortable and you don't really spend much time in your room anyways. And another thing about the "hab" is that the location -- when you look out the portholes -- it really does look like Mars in the surrounding area. And that's just great to have this location where you look out, and it's just like you could be on Mars.
Deana: Very realistic.
Ben: Yeah. There's just a lot of red dirt, and it was really surprising the first time we got out there because you're driving through what looks like a regular, almost desert area. There [are] a few plants, lots of yellow sand, and then all of the sudden you hit this red area. And then there's your Mars base, and the first thing you see is the capsule and then the GreenHab. And I think there were some ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) outside when we first got there.
Deana: Could you walk us through your daily routine?
Ben: Every day we ate breakfast together around the table. After that we had a small crew meeting to make sure everyone knew what their activities were for the day.
There was usually a morning extravehicular activity. We come in for lunch. Some people went on an afternoon extravehicular activity; some people stayed inside and did some experiments or report writing. In the early afternoon, we pretty much settled down and prepared for dinner. Everyone was inside. We ate dinner. Then at 7 o'clock every night we had our report writing and communications with the command center to make sure that we had accomplished everything for the day, that nothing was going wrong. And in the case of the engineering, I had to do my engineering report, which was to report back all the values of the water levels, the gas levels, the maintenance that I had done that day and any other changes that were required for command.
Robbie, you want to talk about what you did those nights?
Robbie: During the night, we'd all come back and write our reports. The whole crew can come together and see each other after working in their different areas, and it brings the crew closer together and just ensures that everyone sits down and talks to everyone else. During the day, [we were] doing research, analyzing samples or going out on extravehicular activities. Then at night, sometimes we'd work with the telescope and try to get that up and running. There's actually a Musk Observatory there. They are doing some good research.
Deana: And had any of you met each other before you were part of this crew?
Ben: No, we hadn't. Robbie had “friended” me on Facebook™, and that's the only reason I even knew his name, aside from the bios that they had sent out to us.
Robbie: Yeah. I hadn't met any of the other crew members, but I had met the crew commander when I worked at NASA Ames Research Center the previous summer.
Deana: What would you say that your crew accomplished during the mission?
Robbie: Well, being the second Spaceward Bound crew, we were able to accomplish a lot of the work on the Spaceward Bound curriculum. We were also able to plant samples for the next crews to go look up. We had planted samples that were data loggers that would get scientific data in the field like temperature or moisture data. And then the next crews could go back to the locations, find them and then retrieve them, and look at what the results gave. We were also able to expand the Spaceward Bound GPS -- Global Positioning System -- database so that the Spaceward Bound program would have its own map of where the samples were placed, so the next groups could go and locate them.
Ben: Robbie did a lot of work with the GPS mapping and the Hobo sensors. We did some engineering improvements and upgrades. We had made a couple of improvements with the water system, the electrical system. And one of the construction projects that was done in simulation, in our suits, was we built a wall for the pavilion that housed our power generator. And I thought that was a really fun experiment, because no one had done construction in simulation before and that's one of the things I did. And of course, as Robbie mentioned, we really expanded the Spaceward Bound curriculum. We at least tripled the size of the document that will be used to train future field astronauts.
Deana: To train field astronauts, are we talking about for this project, or are we talking about astronauts that are going to space?
Ben: What the program actually is, as it stands, is an easy way to train students to come to the station and how to do these experiments. However, we all know that the whole purpose of an analog station is to train and gather data, gather knowledge for what we'll be facing whenever we do go to some place like Mars -- what we're going to have to do, the things you're going to have to know if you're a very small crew millions of miles away.
Deana: So the work that you did could really help in terms of space exploration?
Ben: Yes. And that's the primary purpose for it, because if we're not trying to come up with something, do research for these later manned exploration missions to other planets, then all we're doing is running around the desert pretending we're astronauts.
Robbie: And even if we don't go to Mars for decades, the growing amount of analog station and analog research means that when we finally do, we'll have this huge knowledge base of all these experimental procedures, human factors, [and] crew psychology. We can use these to streamline the mission planning and design when we actually go, and streamline the training, like, "What does work in the field? What doesn't? What tools do you need that you might not think of, but once you get there, you're going to want to have?" And that's the type of thing that you can find out when you have these analog missions.
Ben: And another thing is the more people that will get involved with this, if one day they ever become a mission planner or designer of a certain piece of equipment, they will know what the actual field astronauts will have to deal with. So it will help [the planners or designers] design their equipment better so that the field astronauts can deal with it.
A lot of the problems that we had were with sample bags. They were too small for us to open with these giant gloves on. So, hopefully, in the future, for example, someone will design a better geological sample bag that we can open once we're in our spacesuits.
Deana: Was it hard to work in a bulky spacesuit?
Robbie: Yes. It's definitely very hard to work. One of the biggest problems was the fogging of the helmets and also the gloves. Those were two major challenges. And they're constantly working on upgrading the suit systems. There are some new designs that they're working on. They want to completely revamp the spacesuits out at the station. And so it's a really good opportunity to practice doing things in the suits and see what type of suit improvements you can make.
Deana: Did you face any unusual challenges?
Ben: I faced a lot of challenges that I didn't expect to face, especially with the power generation and a lot of the systems around the "hab." For the engineer, it's really a crash course in jack-of-all-trades engineering. I'm an aerospace engineer, not an electrical engineer. I'm not a biologist. I didn't know how to fix all the pumps in the GreenHab system. So it really is, for a lot of people, it's a great learning experience. And that's one of the biggest challenges is making sure that you can learn enough in a quick enough amount of time so that you can keep the station running, essentially.
Deana: Ben, this is a unique learning experience. What do you take away from the experience?
Ben: An appreciation for the complex design of real space missions. Before this point, I had thought, "OK. If you have a thick-enough box and you put some air in it, and you can put people in there, and then they can survive." But for anything longer than a couple of hours, that's really not going to work. You really come away with a great appreciation for the engineering that needs to be achieved and that has already been achieved in the space world. Another thing I learned was just how to fix things that I didn't know how to fix beforehand.
Deana: Robbie, what do you take away from this experience?
Robbie: Well, I learned quite a bit about fieldwork, especially geology and geological fieldwork. Using the data loggers was a great experience, and learning a new skill set. And just working as part of the team, and everyone being integrated into this environment. Then just being able to work for two weeks with the same people and keep the mission going, and getting a lot of good work outside the habitat and inside. It was a great experience.
Deana: Has Spaceward Bound made a major impact on you?
Ben: Yes.
Deana: How so?
Ben: In my case, I've gone to a couple of Rotary Clubs and talked about what I've done, and I even went back to my old high school and inspired some kids to try to advance their careers in sciences. I've also kind of taken that as one step closer to being part of the future scientific community and just learning so much more about what goes on in the space industry and working with NASA scientists. That was the first time I'd ever worked with (a) a geologist, but (b) someone that closely, who held a high degree.
Deana: Robbie, what about you? Has it made a major impact on you?
Robbie: It definitely has. Just being able to work with such a team of people with different backgrounds was an experience in itself. People with geology, engineering backgrounds and then working in that type of environment, you get to learn a little bit of each, and everyone gets to exchange what they know and exchange ideas. And, specifically, working at the Mars Desert Research Station was amazing because it's the type of thing I've read about in books. And then the opportunity to let students actually go there and do it -- do missions there -- and be with people with high degrees was a great opportunity to see what Mars exploration would really be like.
Deana: Do you have any tips for students that want to participate?
Robbie: Apply. And also join the Mars Society.
Ben: One of the things you can do to increase your chances of becoming a candidate is just be enthusiastic. Join whatever space clubs you have at your school, and if you don't have any, start one. We're always looking for more SEDS chapters. SEDS is the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, and that's how I found out about the Mars Desert Research Station. I just got active in whatever clubs I could and learned as much as I could outside the classroom because, really, the classroom is not where you're going to get the most information. The classroom is only where you're going to get theories and the "how-to," but not the "know-how" of these real space missions. And the more active you are, the more likely you'll be picked up for a crew if you do apply.
Robbie: And that also includes applying to the other NASA programs, too. Just getting out there and meeting other NASA people and working at other NASA stations can help you.
Ben: Yeah. If you're enthusiastic and you're passionate about what you do, people will see that and you will go places.
Deana: If you're interested in becoming a crew member on a Spaceward Bound mission to the Mars Desert Research Station, check out the links in this week's show notes. Go to
www.nasa.gov/podcast and click on the NASA Student Opportunities podcast.
[Music]
NASA is posing a question to U.S. high school students as part of a recently announced aeronautics competition. What will aircraft be like 50 years from now?
Students are asked to use their imaginations and write an essay about a next-generation aircraft that could join the commercial fleet in 2058. Students should prepare an essay describing how the transportation of goods and passengers might be revolutionized in the 21st century. Essays should address environmental impacts, improved operating costs, the use of alternative fuels, passenger and cargo loads, and the use of existing general aviation runways.
The competition is open to teams and individuals. Winners may receive trips to a NASA-based experience or a cash award, depending on available funds. Though international students may enter, only U.S. citizens may receive cash awards or NASA student internships. International winners may receive trophies and certificates, regardless of citizenship.
A notice of intent is due Dec. 15, 2007. Final entry is due on or before March 15, 2008.
For more information about the aeronautics competition, follow the link in this week’s show notes. Go to
www.nasa.gov/podcast and click on the NASA Student Opportunities podcast.
We want to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about NASA learning opportunities, send an e-mail to:
educationpodcast@nasa.gov
Thanks for listening.
NASA Student Opportunities is a podcast production of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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