Antipodes

Synopsis: OEWF / KiwiSpace Joint Operations Simulation, a switch of Mission Support between the Dachstein field test, the MDRS Kiwispace mission and their Mission Control Center in Wellington/New Zealand.
Institution (PI): Kiwispace New Zealand / OeWF (joint operations)
Responsible on-site: Austria: Gernot Groemer/OeWF; Utah: Haritina Mogosanu/Kiwispace

Description

Antipodes is an operations experiment, where we assume a loss of communication between the Mission Support Center on “Earth”, whereas a parallel landing party on the other side of Mars will take over the coordination of an ongoing Extra-Vehicular Activity via their habitat, relayed via a satellite in Martian orbit.
Participants

• Kiwispace crew at the Mars Desert Research Station, Utah
• Kiwispace Mission Control Center, Carter Observatory, Wellington/New Zealand
• OeWF field team, Dachstein caves, Austria Scenario
• After losing the communication to “Earth” (e.g. satellite is out-of-range), a request is sent to the MDRS and/or MCC Wellington to take over operations for an ongoing experiment within the cave. The telemetry data are relayed to MDRS / MCC Wellington for approximately 30 min.

In a second step, a similar handover is done, where the Dachstein field OPS coordinates an experiment at the MDRS (either EVA or IVA).

Experiment Data