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Analogue Astronauts missions are all about visualisation. The main focus on conventional analogue missions is to investigate how a crew of up to 6 astronauts fares on a mission of 1 week to 6 months. This includes scientific research in various disciplines but also aspects of mental health and crew sociology. (source: EuroMoonMars). The CHILL-ICE (Construction of a Habitat Inside a Lunar-Analogue Lava-tube) is a new kind of analogue astronaut mission. It focuses on the important first hours after landing where potential emergencies and risks will be the highest for the astronauts. The mission is to build and deploy a safe and working habitat inside a lava tube in just over 8 hours.
In this podcast I go into conversation with two analogue astronauts: Sabrina Kerber and Charlotte Pouwels. What is the function of imagination while being on analogue mission? What is the role of imagination when it comes to space architecture?
Sabrina Kerber is an engineer, space architect and analogue astronaut from Austria. Sabrina has collected valuable experience in the space sector by working in the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and with the International Lunar Exploration Working Group’s EuroMoonMars (EMM) Team. In 2019, Sabrina was part of a lunar simulation at the renowned HI-SEAS habitat, where she acted as crew engineer. As founder and CEO of Explaneta Space Solutions, Sabrina is working on leveraging the benefits of additive manufacturing for extra-terrestrial habitation. Sabrina is also one of the organizers of the CHILL-ICE analog mission, where she acts as Habitation Specialist and Crew Systems Engineer. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities, such as sailing, hiking and drone piloting.
Charlotte Pouwels is a 24 yr old physicist from the Netherlands, with a specialization in radiation and cube satellites. She works as an analogue astronaut and co-mission organizer for CHILL-ICE, EuroMoonMars, ILEWG. She participated in a 2wk HI-SEAS, analogue habitat for human spaceflight to the Moon/Mars, Moon simulation in 2019. She is the Head of logistics and co-organizer for the CHILL-ICE mission 2021, where they will construct a Habitat Inside a lava tube on Iceland for lunar simulation missions. Charlotte is also a full-time test engineer at Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands, Diver, wanderer, traveller and entrepreneur.
Shownotes:
00:00:00 Introduction Sabrina and Charlotte / 00:04:00 EuroMoonMars simulation programme / 00:07:00 Analogue mission CHILL-ICE / 00:09:00 Mindset of being on the Moon / 00:11:00 Space Architect / 00:13:00 The role of imagination as a guide to possibility in engineering / 00:15:00 Collective imagination / 00:17:00 Imagination in a feedback loop / 00:18:00 Space access / 00:20:00 Commercial space flights and sustainability / 00:21:00 Space law / 00:22:00 Realistic imagination / 00:24:00 Passion / 0027:00 Further reading recommendations
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