INTERVIEW with ALAIN SOUCHIER  from FRANCE

(c) OeWF (Katja Zanella-Kux)

Team & Task(s)

Alain Souchier comes from France and is president for the French chapter of the Mars Society. He participates as one of the many principal investigators (PI) in the MARS2013 Mission. He is responsible for the CLIFFBOT experiment and will check its performance during the first week in Morocco. Later he will be available to deal with any problems which may occur on the CLIFFBOT during the simulation.

Space & MARS2013

How did you first get in touch with the topic of space / astronomy / analog research?

I have been interested in astronomy as a child and then turned my interest to astronautics in 1957 with the beginning of the space race. I was ten in 1957.

When did you first hear about the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF)

Mainly through the AustroMars mission at MDRS.

How did you learn about the “MARS2013” mission?

Discussion in Dachstein.

Why did you choose to participate?

Prolongation of CLIFFBOT experiments conducted in 2002 and 2006 by me in Utah (and also by many other crews) and in Dachstein. Outreach for Planète Mars association and for Mars Exploration promotion in general

What was your first impression when you got involved with the OeWF team?

Professionalism and important number of people involved, logistics and technical means. Nice relations also ☺

What is your personal goal in this mission?

Collect data for the experiment, fun, learning more on simulation activities in general by close participation, bringing back outreach material (photos,…) to promote Mars exploration

Work, Life & Family

What I do for a living:

After spending 40 years as engineer in developing Ariane liquid rocket engines, I am retired and still consultant for my former company on propulsion and launchers. I am also president for the French chapter of the Mars Society.

A typical day in my life looks like this:

No typical day; consulting and answering mails, working for the Planète Mars association and particularly posting news on the website, preparing presentations for congresses or various public interventions, traveling for these presentations; meetings or congresses for my consultancy job. Technical or information notes writing for my consultancy job.

This is how I spend my spare time:

The definition of spare time becomes totally different when you are (partially) retired.

Family status:

Married, four children

How my friends would describe me:

Well ask them (remind me to ask my wife)

Me, Myself & I

What drives me crazy:

Things which do not work or lost items.

Something I would never do:

Just bad things (I hope)

One important thing other people should know about me:

In general they know

To relax I absolutely need:

9 h sleep

For this I would do almost anything:

Going to space and …(ha ha confidential)

Something that once changed my life:

Apart from the space race in 1957? Is marriage electable to this answer?

What is the most unusual / challenging / exciting / scary / funny thing you ever experienced?

176 zero g parabolas, MDRS simulations, Apollo 16 launch and Ariane 1 first launch (and some followings including failures), good memories also of some scuba diving or trips at skis.

Goal(s) & Motto

Something I would love to learn or to achieve:

Well, going to space. But being a little part of space access and exploration is already enough

My Motto / A saying I can identify with:

“Never give up never surrender”…no I am joking. I have another one about Earth: “A planet on which water is falling in liquid state cannot be totally bad”.

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