The Austrian Space Forum, in collaboration with scientists from 10 nations and the European Space Agency, completed a simulated Marsexpedition in the South of Spain (Rio Tinto region). This article gives a concise overview of the goals achieved during the expedition. After more than six months of intense preparation, the simulation took place between the 17th and 22nd of April, 2011.
All articles and posts about the Rio Tinto expedition can be found here.
Although, due to very unusual heavy rain and wind, not all of the ten planned experiments were performed, this simulation turned into one of the most complex and eloborate Mars analog simulations which has ever been done in Europe. 70 specialists were part of the team, of which 30 were directly at the location in Rio Tinto.
Dignity, the older brother of Phileas, was used for damage-inspection on the WLS Lander-Mockup and assisted with the collection of samples.
Erich Pröll films the crew during briefing.