A multidisciplinary team

The crew comprised three OU PhD students: Nisha Gor (project lead and mission XO [Executive Officer]), a planetary scientist studying lake geomorphology on Mars; Daniel Loy, a microbiologist investigating microbial communities in Martian analogue environments and a returning MDRS crew member who this time was mission Commander; and Adam Losekoot, a planetary scientist researching inverted channels on Mars. The team also included Dr Mara Leite, a former project officer specialising in planetary protection and resource cultivations

The crew was supported by Professor David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Science at the Open University, who acted as faculty advisor during the mission.

Reflecting on the mission, project lead Nisha Gor said:

“The Open University has researchers working on Mars-related science across multiple disciplines, so I wanted to build a multidisciplinary team across OU’s Schools of Physical Sciences, Engineering & Innovation, and Environment, Earth & Ecosystem Sciences.

We were awarded the Europlanet grant because our proposal demonstrated strong multidisciplinary collaboration and diverse representation. The aim of Europlanet is to build an inclusive research community and this project highlighted this. Our team represented a diverse range of nationalities from across Britain, the U.S., Portugal, and India, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in future human exploration of Mars.”

Originally, the mission included six crew members, including OU PhD alumnus Ihor Sebatian (engineering) and OU laboratory technician Wewerly Fernandes (biology), who were unable to make the rotation but still participated in organising and crew meeting pre-mission.

Life inside and outside the analogue habitat

During EVAs, teams maintained constant telecommunications via the station’s radio network, logging rover battery levels and distances travelled, with mandatory check-ins every 15 minutes for safety. While the external team conducted fieldwork, crew inside the Hab processed samples, prepared laboratory work such as DNA extractions, and documented methods. After the morning EVA and a brief lunch, the second EVA followed a similar preparation cycle, returning before sunset.

Daniel Loy, mission Crew Commander said,

“A typical day at MDRS began at 7:00am with breakfast and a planning meeting before preparations for the first EVA of day. Suit operations were a critical part of the routine: EVA suits were tested for battery charge and telecommunications systems and radios were checked before entering the airlock. We had a depressurisation countdown ahead of stepping onto the “Martian surface.”

Evenings were dedicated to writing detailed EVA reports, GreenHab updates, media summaries, and the Commander’s report, all submitted during the station’s designated communications window (19:00–21:00), when Mission Support opened and closed internet access. The day typically concluded around 22:00, ready to repeat the simulation the following morning.”

Faculty advisor Professor of planetary geosciences David Rothery said,

“I’m old enough to remember watching the Apollo astronauts’ moonwalks, and it was a pleasure to read the daily reports from Crew 304 and to see their stunning (and very Mars-like) field photos. Humans are likely to be back on the Moon soon (Mars will take a little longer). Experience gained at MDRS helps to plan the real missions better, as well as training a new generation. To see this crew working as a team and re-distributing responsibilities due to an enforced last-minute drop-out having coped with a later reduction in their number, made me proud of the OU’s planetary and astrobiology portfolio.”

The mission highlights the Open University’s strength in interdisciplinary planetary science and the growing role scientists will have in analogue astronaut research.

Credit for all images: Mara Leite