Tuesday, 11th February 2025
Hypatia Mars and the New Space company Open Cosmos installed a large-scale artistic piece in the shape of a cross in theUtah desert, in the United States, to mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated on February 11.
This initiative is part of a joint awareness campaign between Hypatia Mars and Open Cosmos. The campaign, #WomenLeaveTheirMark, aims to highlight the contributions of women scientists to the progress of science and knowledge.
The analog astronauts of Hypatia II, currently on a mission at the Mars Research Desert Station (MDRS), have deployed a 40×40-meter cross during their extravehicular activities (EVA) outside the base, so that satellites in low Earth orbit can capture it.
Globally, only 1 in 3 scientists is a woman. The disparity is even greater in the aerospace sector, where female researchers remain a minority. Among astronauts, only 1 in 10 is a woman—and none have ever set foot on the Moon.
The Making Of
The Hypatia II crew carried out the installation, drawing inspiration from Pythagoras and the methods used by ancient Egyptians to measure agricultural fields when the Nile River flooded.
Physically, the installation was extremely demanding, as it was performed while wearing astronaut equipment weighing approximately 15 kg (33 lbs), including gloves and other gear that restricted mobility.