This morning, the Hypatia Mars association presented the new Hypatia II crew, who will undertake a new mission at the Mars Research Desert Station (MDRS) analog station in the United States from February 2 to 15, 2025. The press conference took place at the Espai Francesca Bonnemaison, a space in the heart of Barcelona gothic quarter dedicated to the empowerment of women.
The new crew comprises 9 analog astronauts of different ages and disciplines, led by the mathematicians Ariadna Farrés and Anna Bach, along with the mechanical engineer Helena Arias, the geologist Marina Martínez, the telecommunications engineer Mònica Roca, the publicist Jennifer García, the aerospace engineers Estel Blay and Laura González, and the nanotechnologist Lucia Matamoros.
The research projects of the new crew, still in the process of definition, include the sustainability and development of Martian solar panels resistant to the dust of the red planet; the development of Earth remote sensing systems from space; the design of protocols for collecting lunar geological material samples for analysis on Earth; monitoring the behavior of analog astronauts in isolation situations; and a project to manage crew waste in a circular manner.
The objectives of the new mission are to promote excellence in research, rehearse communication strategies and protocols under simulation and isolation conditions, develop outreach activities, and showcase contemporary women scientists at different stages of their professional careers to inspire vocations, especially among young girls.