The island of Mars is right on Earth

For the past 16 years, NASA scientists have made many flights to the Canadian island of Devon, which has similar topographic features to Mars to study and test technologies for the main purpose. Red planet in the future.

"Mars" island - Devon is located on Nunavut - Canada's largest and newest territory.

In 1997, an experienced researcher, Pascal Lee, made his first trip to the 20km Haughton crater on Devon Island.

Scientists equipped with astronaut suit when
participate in research projects on Devon Island, Canada

The Haughton hole was formed when a large meteorite array fell into the tundra 20 million years ago. Geological factors at the crater have turned it into an icy, deserted, arid, lacking of water and no life.

For many people the Haughton hole is no different from an abandoned area. But for scientists, it is an ideal place, simulation seems to be full of Mars-like structures, terrain, climate.

Now, the area of ​​the Haughton pit is home to two independent space research facilities. Among them, the most prominent is the Mars Flashline Research Station Mars (FMARS) started construction in 2000, under the management of the Mars Association - an international non-profit organization specializing in investment for expedition and find settlements on Red planet.

Lee's Mars - Haughton (HMP) project, which is located in the area of ​​the FMARS Station, has been backed by NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, the US Maritime Group and private investors.

Recently, two Hummer dedicated sports cars were taken to Devon Island, serving the HMP project, helping to test the journey across the Martian surface.

In addition, there is a Arthur Clarke Mars greenhouse built in 2002 with a dense system of sensors and communications to test hydroponic technology under extreme conditions like on Mars. .

Besides, to prepare for all the harsh situations that astronauts explore Mars will face the radio communication system between the ground checkpoint and the crew members, HMP has been designed to interrupt information every 20 minutes.

Devon island is one of the most Mars-like lands in the world. However, unlike astronauts in space, scientists who come to Devon Island work to get water, power generators and do other jobs to serve life on the island. In particular, they must always carry guns to prevent polar bears from attacking.

Scientist Mary Roach - who participated in the HMP project in 2008, considers life on Devon Island "extremely inconvenient" and researchers working here have really gone through a difficult period. For safety, test trips on Devon Island will require up to 3 participants at a time.

But it must be said that rugged rocky terrain on Devon Island is an ideal place to test robots and technology applied to the exploration of Mars in the universe.

A scientist deploys Mars experiments on Devon Island

In 2010, scientists from NASA's Intelligent Robot Research Group flew to Devon Island and carried the K-10 unmanned explorer ship, designed to follow human discovery journeys, to collect Cross rock, measure terrain and data.

Although facing difficulties in cutting down funding from the US government for space science research projects and especially the fate of Mars discovery projects is extremely "precarious" , But every year, scientists still test technology, medical equipment and psychological challenges to prepare for the journey to explore Mars in the future.

In addition, the Mars Association is also developing a simulation of the Martian terrain on the Utah and Utah regions.

In particular, the 15 million USD Mars500 project of the European Space Agency deployed in November last year brought 6 volunteers to live in a device simulating the spacecraft to explore Mars within 520 days.

This simulator was produced by the Institute of Biological Health Research in Moscow with a bed system, a medical room, and a tennis-sized model of the Martian terrain.