The Prismas Casa de las Ciencias Awards for Scientific Outreach 2025 have granted an Honorable Mention to the Hypatia II project, led by the Hypatia Mars Association, for its work in raising the visibility of leading women in science and space exploration. These awards are an initiative of the Coruñés Scientific Museums to recognize the dissemination of scientific culture and support professionals working in this field. At a gala held in A Coruña, crew member Jennifer García Carrizo, received the award on behalf of Hypatia II. For Hypatia, “this award honors the sustained effort of the Hypatia Mars Association over the years, consolidated with Hypatia II, and motivates us to continue generating science and sharing it with society.”
Outreach and Education Projects
The analog mission is the backbone that enables the deployment of a series of research projects and scientific collaborations with dozens of national and international institutions. But it also involves designing and conceptualizing numerous conferences, outreach activities, audiovisual materials, and other initiatives that bring space exploration closer to society, especially to young people, throughout the year. Some examples are:
- The CatMart project, led by analog astronaut Laia Ribas, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) and astronaut from Hypatia I, has reached more than a thousand students aged 6 to 12, through which they search for life on the Red Planet by analyzing sand from the Utah desert.
- The Hypatia’s Circular Odyssey, by Jennifer García Carrizo, a virtual tour that allows exploration of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), the site where eight Spanish female scientists simulated a 14-day trip to Mars. The expedition, set in the Utah desert (USA), faced real restrictions on water, food, movement, and contact with Earth.
- The book, Les exploradores de Mart (The Mars Explorers), in which the artist and Hypatia II crew member Anna Bach created the illustrations and script for a children’s story that was recently published and is based on a unique place like the MDRS. The hope and excitement of first-hand experiences define this book, which aims to inspire girls aged 7 to 9—a time when gender bias already emerges in envisioning themselves as scientists and technologists.