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49-566: The station is located on Devon Island , a Mars analog environment and polar desert , approximately 165 kilometres (103 mi) north east of the hamlet of Resolute in Nunavut , Canada. The station is situated on Haynes Ridge, overlooking the Haughton impact crater , a 23  km (14  mi ) diameter crater formed approximately 39 million years ago (late Eocene ). The location is approximately 1,600 km (990 mi; 860 nmi) from

98-503: A polar desert ecology, Devon Island receives very little precipitation. Cape Liddon is an Important Bird Area (IBA) notable for its black guillemot and northern fulmar populations. Cape Vera , another IBA site, is also noted for its northern fulmar population. Devon Island is also notable for the presence of the Haughton impact crater , created some 39 million years ago when a meteorite about 2 km (1.2 mi) in diameter crashed into what were then forests. The impact left

147-522: A Narrative Report. The crew transmits these reports to a Mission Support team (typically located in Colorado). The campus currently consists of two buildings, the habitat and the generator shack. The habitat, commonly referred to as "the Hab", is a 7.7 metres (25 ft) tall cylinder that measures 8.3 metres (27 ft) in diameter and is used as the living area during simulation. Its basic size and design

196-399: A Strange Land , a flag of Mars is hastily improvised, consisting of "the field in white and the sigil of Mars in red". In his 1994 science-fiction novel Moving Mars , Greg Bear describes the flag of the fictional Federal Republic of Mars as follows: "red Mars and two moons in blue field above a diagonal, white below". In the 1996 film Mars Attacks! , the flag of Mars is green with

245-524: A black circle in the center, a red pyramid in the middle, and an eye on top. In the 2011 book Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey , the first part of The Expanse series, the flag of Mars is described as depicting the "lonely star, and thirty stripes". However, in the 2015 The Expanse television series, based on The Expanse novel series, the flag of the Martian Congressional Republic (the governing body that rules over

294-414: A bunk for a seventh crew member. The generator shack is a small wooden structure located to the east of the habitat. It houses two diesel generators (primary and backup) which alternately provide power for the habitat. Also on the campus is a greywater sump, a SmartAsh incinerator, secondary containment areas for storage of barrels of gasoline, diesel fuel, and waste oil, and a satellite dish that provides

343-463: A crane for use in constructing the station, a trailer intended to transport the station sections from their landing locations to the construction site, and the fiberglass floors for the structure. All were completely destroyed. On July 12, Kurt Micheels and the construction crew left Devon Island and returned to Resolute, unable to find a way to continue station construction. Micheels later resigned as project manager on July 15. The Mars Society engaged

392-654: A crater about 23 km (14 mi) in diameter, which was a lake for several million years. The Devon Island Research Station was established in 1960 and it is maintained by the Arctic Institute of North America . It is located in Truelove Lowland, on the northeast coast of Devon Island ( 75°40′N 84°35′W  /  75.667°N 84.583°W  / 75.667; -84.583 ). The Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station project entered its third season in 2004. In July 2004, Devon Island became

441-467: A crude replacement trailer. Enlisting the help of volunteers from HMP and members of a Japanese TV crew, six of the wall segments were transported from their landing location within the crater to the construction site. The remainder of the habitat's components were transported to the construction site on July 18 and July 19. The existing volunteers were assisted by Joe Amarualuk and several Inuit high school students who also volunteered to help. Matt Smola,

490-613: A disaster due to wind conditions and the much colder climate, and the Inuit chose to leave in 1936. Dundas Harbour was populated again in the late 1940s, but it was closed again in 1951. Only the ruins of a few buildings remain today. Devon Island is located between Ellesmere Island in the north, Cornwallis Island in the west, and Baffin Island in the south, separated by Lancaster Sound . Because of its relatively high elevation and its extreme northern latitude, Devon Island supports only

539-438: A meagre population of muskox and small birds and mammals; the island does support hypolith communities. Animal life is concentrated in the Truelove Lowland area of the island, which has a favourable microclimate and supports relatively lush Arctic vegetation. Temperatures during the brief (40 to 55 days) growing season seldom exceed 10 °C (50 °F), and in winter can plunge to as low as −50 °C (−58 °F). With

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588-593: A name which was changed to Devon Island by the end of the 1800s. In 1850, Edwin De Haven sailed up Wellington Channel and sighted the Grinnell Peninsula . An outpost was established at Dundas Harbour in 1924, and it was leased to Hudson's Bay Company nine years later. The collapse of fur prices led to the dispersal of 52 Baffin Island Inuit families on the island in 1934. It was considered

637-585: A paid team of construction workers were in Resolute. The construction team traveled to Devon Island via Twin Otters on July 4. On July 5 the Marines conducted five successful paradrops of station components. A sixth paradrop was also successful on July 8. The seventh and final paradrop, conducted on July 8, was unsuccessful. The parachute separated from the payload at an altitude of 1000 feet. The payload contained

686-523: A prototype Mars space suit supplied by Hamilton Sundstrand to conduct several EVAs, communications were established with the Mission Support group in Denver, and a list of items for correction, installation or improvement were identified with the habitat and its systems. This crew left Devon Island on August 4. The FMARS is a monocoque mostly made out of double-skinned wood panels. The habitat

735-458: A reminder of where we came from, and a star near to the other side, to remind us of where we are going. In the center of the field is a representation of the Mars planet symbol , with its arrow pointing out to the star, acknowledging that Mars is not our destination, merely a way station on a journey that has no ending". Paine's flag design was illustrated by artist Carter Emmart. That illustration

784-414: A simulated airlock depress/repress procedure upon each exit and entry to the habitat. Communications between the station and off-island researchers are subject to a time delay (typically 20 minutes) which mimics that of actual radio traffic between Earth and Mars. A satellite phone is kept on-site for use in emergencies. Due to limited visibility of crew members wearing simulated spacesuits, all work outside

833-656: Is also flown at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station , on behalf of the Mars Society . In the 1953 Chuck Jones animated cartoon featuring Daffy Duck , Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century , the character Marvin the Martian carries a pink triangular flag with a red circle. In other depictions, the flag may be rectangular and have the letter M over the circle. In Robert A. Heinlein 's 1961 science-fiction novel Stranger in

882-497: Is based on the Mars Direct architecture. On the first floor there are two airlocks , a shower and toilet, a room for the space suits , and a combined lab and work area. On the second floor are six crew rooms with bunks, a common area, and a kitchen equipped with a gas stove, refrigerator, microwave, oven and a sink. There is also a loft area accessed by ladder from the second floor which provides storage space and can accommodate

931-521: Is stabilized by ground trusses and steel guy-wires , making the FMARS more stable than MDRS in high wind. The lower desk has more but smaller rooms, and the doors in the FMARS are square and tall. A ladder connects both floors together. The galley's and ladder's position are swapped compared to the MDRS, as well as the toilet and bathroom. The upper deck's shared space is used for both computing and dining, and

980-860: Is the Devon Ice Cap at 1,920 m (6,300 ft) which is part of the Arctic Cordillera . Devon Island contains several small mountain ranges , such as the Treuter Mountains , Haddington Range and the Cunningham Mountains . The notable similarity of its surface to that of Mars has attracted interest from scientists. Robert Bylot and William Baffin were the first Europeans to sight Devon Island in 1616. William Edward Parry charted its south coast in 1819–20, and named it North Devon, after Devon in England,

1029-555: The Geographic North Pole and approximately 1,500 km (930 mi; 810 nmi) from the Magnetic North Pole (as of 2010). FMARS is the first research station of its kind to be built, completed in the summer of 2000. Operated by the non-profit Mars Society, the station's mission is to help develop key knowledge needed to prepare for human Mars exploration, and to inspire the public by making real

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1078-620: The Haughton–Mars Project . The Island's freezing temperatures, isolation, and remoteness offer scientists matchless research opportunities. Devon Island’s harsh climate and barren terrain endeared it to NASA as the Arctic day and night cycle and restricted communications capabilities offer challenges similar to those presented by long-duration space flights. HMP has conducted geological , hydrological , botanical , and microbiological studies in this harsh environment since 1997. HMP-2008

1127-566: The Mars Analog Research Station Program . The Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) began operation in 2002 in southern Utah . Stations to be built in Europe ( European Mars Analog Research Station / EuroMARS ) and Australia ( Australia Mars Analog Research Station / MARS-Oz ) have not progressed beyond the planning stages. The establishment of a human Mars exploration analog research station on Devon Island

1176-454: The Moon or the asteroids . Flag of Mars A flag of Mars is a concept of a possible flag design, meant to symbolize the planet Mars or to represent a fictional Martian government, in works of fiction. Thomas O. Paine , who served as the third Administrator of NASA , designed a Mars flag in 1984. Paine's Mars flag includes a sliver of Earth near the hoist side of the flag "as

1225-462: The terraforming of Mars . Following this scouting expedition, Kurt Micheels was selected as the station's project manager. The station's structure was fabricated between January 2000 and June 2000 by Infrastructures Composites International (Infracomp) under the direction of John Kunz, using a unique type of fiberglass honeycomb construction technology. The Mars Society provided Infracomp additional manpower from Mesa Fiberglass, Pioneer Astronautics and

1274-570: The 1999 field season of NASA's Haughton Mars Project ( HMP ), in order to gain the information needed to plan operations and to determine an optimum site for station construction. An appropriate site was selected on a ridge overlooking the Haughton crater, which was named Haynes Ridge by Robert Zubrin in honor of the late Professor Robert Haynes of York University , a founding member of the Mars Society and seminal thinker on issues concerning

1323-435: The 28th. Every human being on the island attended. This included approximately fifty scientists, Inuit , and journalists. Several individuals spoke. Robert Zubrin gave the concluding remarks and dedicated the station to those whose cause it will ultimately serve, a people who are yet to be, the pioneers of Mars. The station was christened by smashing a bottle of Canadian sparkling wine against it. A symbolic first crew occupied

1372-513: The Rocky Mountain Mars Society Chapter in order to meet the deadline for station deployment. The station's components were transported by truck to Moffett Field , California and loaded onto three C-130 aircraft operated by the U.S. Marine Corps 4th Air Delivery Battalion. The first C-130 departed Moffett Field headed for the arctic on July 1, 2000. On July 3, 2000, the three C-130s, Kurt Micheels, John Kunz, and

1421-680: The arctic summer. Each of these expeditions consists of a crew of between 6 and 7 individuals. Typically 1 to 2 months prior to departing for the Canadian Arctic , the crew gathers for an initial face-to-face meeting and training session in Colorado. Departing for the arctic, the crew travels by commercial airline to Resolute. There they spend a few days organizing their supplies and equipment and conducting some final training while waiting for clear weather. They then board Twin Otter aircraft for

1470-503: The exterior construction of the station. Individuals from HMP, the Discovery Channel film team and a number of journalists on-site assisted with the interior build-out of the station, which was only partially completed. Finishing touches of the interior build-out would occur the following year. A red, green and blue Martian tricolor flag was raised on the 28th atop the station. An inauguration ceremony took place at 9PM on

1519-405: The extreme wind and temperature in the Arctic. A participant of Mars 160 described the FMARS as more structurally sound, though more deteriorated due to dry rot and molds. Power and internet access was limited to a few hours per day and many pieces of equipment were broken because of poor maintenance. The Mars Society sends researchers to live and work at the station typically for one month during

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1568-492: The final leg of the journey. These aircraft land on a dirt airstrip located on Devon Island near the station. The primary means of crew transportation while on the island is by All-Terrain Vehicles ( ATVs ). During the formal Mars simulation period of each expedition, it is required that any outside work be done while wearing a simulated spacesuit and that all communications are conducted by radio. Space suited crew members use

1617-418: The foreman of Frank Schubert's construction company in Denver, arrived on Devon Island on July 20 and assisted with station construction. The station's wall sections were raised to vertical and connected to each other July 20 through July 22. The floors of the station were constructed out of wood and assembled on July 23 and July 24. The dome roof of the station was assembled July 24, 25 and 26th. This completed

1666-455: The galley consists of a stove, microwave, and a water container. The crew quarter's rooms have staggered bunk beds and are not equal in volume. A nearby river a few hundred meters away provides freshwater, and a gas generator provides electricity. Over time, there were drastic differences between the FMARS and MDRS, due to FMARS's more isolated location and MDRS's more continuous use, maintenance and expansion. The FMARS also needs to withstand

1715-410: The inhabitants of Mars) is divided horizontally into two equal stripes: orange on top, and black on the bottom. In the centre is placed a hollow red circle, symbolizing Mars, with a thin blue crescent attached to its left inner side, symbolizing the terraforming effort, and the limited resources of water and oxygen of the planet's population. In the top stripe, on the left of the circle, slightly above it,

1764-528: The interior build-out of the station, but instead played a key role in erecting the structure and was appointed by Robert Zubrin as replacement project manager. He spent several days developing a new construction plan and was joined in Resolute by Zubrin on July 15. John Kunz also agreed to remain and assist the construction effort. Zubrin and Schubert flew to Devon Island later in the day on July 15. John Kunz flew back to Devon Island on July 16. On July 17 parts were obtained from Resolute that were used to construct

1813-541: The island are regularly seen, and at least one encounter has occurred with participants in the HMP. Crew members are also required to write periodic reports to document conducted research, to advise on the status of engineering systems, and to capture details related to other aspects of operations. There are four reports that are typically generated, these being the Commander's Report, a Science Report, an Engineering Report and

1862-422: The services of Aziz Kheraj, the owner of Resolute's South Camp Inn. He flew to Devon Island on July 12 and assessed the situation. He would go on to provide critical support, equipment and materials that allowed construction of the station to proceed. Frank Schubert, a Mars Society member who was a homebuilder by trade, had been sent to Resolute following the initial team. It was originally intended that he focus on

1911-439: The station is conducted with one crew member "out-of-sim". It is the responsibility of this crew member to be on the lookout for, and to protect the crew from polar bears. This crew member is typically armed with a pump-action shotgun loaded with slugs . The crew also carries bear deterrent devices known as bear bangers. No polar bears have yet been encountered by the crew of an FMARS expedition, although signs of their presence on

1960-464: The station the night of the 28th and during the day on the 29th. It consisted of Pascal Lee, Marc Boucher, Frank Schubert, Charles Cockell , Bob Nesson and Robert Zubrin. Frank Schubert, Matt Smola and Robert Zubrin left Devon Island on the afternoon of the 29th. A shakedown crew then occupied the station for four days. It was commanded by Dr. Carol Stoker, and included Larry Lemke, Bill Clancey, Darlene Lim , Marc Boucher, and Bob Nesson. The crew used

2009-576: The station's internet connection. . Zubrin, Robert (2004). Mars on Earth: The Adventures of Space Pioneers in the High Arctic (1st trade paperback ed.). New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc. ISBN   1-58542-350-5 . Devon Island Devon Island ( Inuktitut : ᑕᓪᓗᕈᑎᑦ , Tallurutit ) is an island in Canada and the largest uninhabited island (no permanent residents) in

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2058-463: The temporary home for five scientists and two journalists, who were to use the Mars-like environment to simulate living and working on that planet. April 2007 through 21 August 2007 was the longest simulation period and included 20 scientific studies. The Haughton crater is now considered one of the world's best Mars analog sites. It is the summer home to NASA 's complementary scientific program,

2107-476: The vision of human exploration of Mars . The society uses the station to conduct geological and biological exploration under conditions similar to those found on Mars, to develop field tactics based on those explorations, to test habitat design features, tools, and technologies, and to assess crew selection protocols. The project's final cost was US$ 1.3 million, raised through sponsorships with major companies. Flashline.com, an internet business, donated $ 175,000 and

2156-669: The world. It is located in Baffin Bay , Qikiqtaaluk Region , Nunavut , Canada. It is one of the largest members of the Arctic Archipelago , the second-largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands , Canada's sixth-largest island , and the 27th-largest island in the world . It has an area of 55,247 km (21,331 sq mi) (slightly smaller than Croatia ). The bedrock is Precambrian gneiss and Paleozoic siltstones and shales . The highest point

2205-536: Was first proposed by Pascal Lee in April 1998. The station was officially selected as the Mars Society's first project at the society's Founding Convention in August 1998. The station was designed by architect Kurt Micheels and design engineer Wayne Cassalls in coordination with Robert Zubrin and numerous Mars Society volunteers. Kurt Micheels and Robert Zubrin conducted a scouting expedition to Devon Island as part of

2254-717: Was granted the right to affix its name to the project. Other major sponsors included the Kirsch Foundation , the Foundation for the International Non-governmental Development of Space (FINDS) and the Discovery Channel (which purchased exclusive English-language TV rights to the station's activities for the first two years). The FMARS project is one of four stations originally planned by the Mars Society as part of

2303-472: Was presented to Bradbury during The Planetary Society's 25th Anniversary Awards Dinner. Pascal Lee , a former NASA research engineer designed a tricolor flag for Mars in 1999. It was flown into space on STS-103 by astronaut John M. Grunsfeld . The sequence of colors, from red, to green, and finally blue, represent the transformation of Mars from a lifeless planet to one teeming with life, as inspired by Kim Stanley Robinson 's Mars trilogy of novels. It

2352-472: Was published on the cover of a periodical titled The Planetary Report . According to Emmart, Paine "created the Mars flag as an award to the person or organization that he felt had contributed most to advancing the human exploration of Mars". On November 12, 2005, Ray Bradbury received a Mars flag as a part of the "Thomas O. Paine Award for the Advancement of Human Exploration of Mars". The award

2401-607: Was the twelfth field season at Devon Island. In 2007, fossils of the seal ancestor Puijila darwini were found on the island. On July 16, 2013, the Canadian Space Agency assigned Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen to a secondment with the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration of the University of Western Ontario at Haughton Crater in preparation for a potential future crewed exploration of Mars,

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