NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)

1. Sleeping through the Arctic Martian Sol

   Project Investigators: Kimberly Binsted, Chris McKay, Marc OGriofa

   Other Project Members

   Simon Auclair (Masters Student)

   Matthew Bamsey (Doctoral Student)

   Melissa Battler (Masters Student)

   Kathryn Bywaters (Undergraduate Student)

   James Harris (Collaborator)

   Ryan Kobrick (Masters Student)

   Derek O'Keeffe (Co-Investigator)

   Summary

   The Martian day is 24.6 hours long, and during the surface exploration phase, a Mars crew would have to operate on Martian time (unless the landing site is in a polar region). This slightly longer day has psychological, physiological, and operational repercussions. During the FMARS 2007 Long Duration Mission, all seven crewmembers operated on Mars time for 37 days, tracked changes in sleep quality and disruption using CASPER (Cardiac Adapted Sleep Parameter Electrocardiogram Recorder), and measured reaction speed and decision-making using cognitive tests.

   Astrobiology Roadmap Objectives:

   • Objective 2.1: Mars exploration

   Project Progress

   The FMARS Long Duration Mission (FXI-LDM) was an unprecedented Mars exploration simulation in the Mars analogue environment of Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic. Seven crewmembers spent four months under strict simulation conditions (limited water use, constrained diet, high-latency communications, no outside activity without simulated life-support equipment, etc.) conducting field research in and around Haughton Crater, a 39 million year old impact structure. There were three categories of research carried out: human factors research, examining the effects of the simulation conditions on crew psychology and performance, and the effectiveness of counter-measures; mission operations research, analyzing resource usage under realistic simulation conditions; and the field research itself, which focused on the winter to summer seasonal transition and its effects on biological activity in the active layer above the permafrost.

   Probably the most significant human factors study was the “Mars Time” project. The Martian day is 24.6 hours long, and during the surface exploration phase, a Mars crew would have to operate on Martian time (unless the landing site is in a polar region). This slightly longer day has psychological, physiological, and operational repercussions. During FXI-LDM, crewmembers operated on Mars time for 37 days. This was possible due to the 24-hour daylight in the Arctic summer. We tracked changes in sleep quality and disruption using CASPER (Cardiac Adapted Sleep Parameter Electrocardiogram Recorder), and measured reaction speed and decision-making using cognitive tests. CASPER provides a simple and accurate means of detecting sleep disruption and stability by assessing cardiac autonomic activity from a single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG).

   The first paper based on the Mars Time study won a “Best Young Investigator” Award from the Aerospace Medical Association. A second paper is in preparation.

   Field Expeditions

   Name

   FMARS Long Duration Mission

   Dates

   04/25/2007 - 08/28/2007

   Location

   75deg22min N 89deg41min E

   Description

   Seven crewmembers spent four months at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS) simulating a Mars surface exploration mission on Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic. We carried out over twenty research projects in biology, geology, mission operations and human factors.

   Cross-Team Collaborations

   Chris McKay of NASA Ames was PI on the FMARS expedition.

Publications

Binsted, K., O Griofa, M. & OKeeffe, D.  (to appear).  Using space and planetary surface analogue environments to motivate and evaluate technology design.  Designing the user experience of future peripatetic users: New HCI design challenges in space.  Pennsylvania: IGI Global.

O Griofa, M. & OKeeffe, D.  (2008).  Sleeping through the Arctic Martian Sol.  Aerospace Medical Association.