What have these two places got in common?

Both very cold

Both very dry (Antarctica has less rainfall than the

Sahara desert)

Both are unexplored

Water is a liquid

Too cold for significant life

For this reason, ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA test all of their equipment that will be sent

to Mars in Antarctica

• During the next 50mins, you will be imagining that you work for the UK Space agency.

Antarctica: Mars on Earth Science competition

• During the next 50mins, you will be imagining that you work for the UK Space agency.

• They need to test equipment and astronauts for their next mission to mars.

Antarctica: Mars on Earth Science competition

• During the next 50mins, you will be imagining that you work for the UK Space agency.

• They need to test equipment and astronauts for their next mission to mars.

• Our brief is to design a series of experiments that can be performed in Antarctica: Mars on Earth

Antarctica: Mars on Earth Science competition

• The best experiments will be taken to Antarctica by the expedition!

• Those of you who’s experiments are taken will be updated by blog & e-mail whilst down there in November/December!

Antarctica: Mars on Earth Science competition

Category 1:Engineering/materials

Mars is extremely cold and dry (just like Antarctica!). Design an experiment that will test the behaviour of equipment and materials in the terrestrial environment of Antarctica, the closest conditions to Mars.

Category 2:Physiology

Whilst on Mars, humans will be subjected to extreeme temperatures. Design an experiment to test how humans react to such conditions.

Category 3:Psychology

Anyone going to mars will be isolated in a small group for years. Just like astronauts, Antarctic expeditions are also isolated, with limited contact with the outside world. Design an experiment to test how humans react to such conditions.

Category 3:Psychology

Anyone going to mars will be isolated in a small group for years. Just like astronauts, Antarctic expeditions are also isolated, with limited contact with the outside world. Design an experiment to test how humans react to such conditions.

Category 4:Biology

There is a chance there may once have been life on Mars. Design an experiment to test whether life can survive in the extreme cold conditions of Antarctica, as an indicator of the possibility of past Martian life forms.

Category 4:Biology

There is a chance there may once have been life on Mars. Design an experiment to test whether life can survive in the extreme cold conditions of Antarctica, as an indicator of the possibility of past Martian life forms.

The best projects will have the following attributes:

1. Must be achievable in a four-week time frame2. Any associated equipment must be readily

available and easy to transport to the continent3. Must produce interesting and original outcomes

that can be looked at when the expedition is over

4. Must not remove anything from the environment of Antarctica (due to the Antarctic treaty, 1961)

Keep up to date with progress, blogs etc by visiting

www.sir-in-antarctica.com

Expedition dates: November/December 2010