What a dress rehearsal! It was three intensive days from January 26 to 28, 2024 with a well-attended press conference, 150 AMADEE-24 team members from over 26 countries and 350 visitors during the public day at our logistics partner Gebrüder Weiss. Procedures were practiced and the final tests for our research expedition were completed. The dress rehearsal was set up in such a way that there was a “Mars” test area in Maria Lanzendorf and our new Mission Support Center in Vienna (thus “Earth”) was also put into operation. This allowed us to simulate the “Earth” – “Mars” time delay, as the teams worked at two different locations in Vienna and the surrounding area.

The “Mars” was located on the Gebrüder Weiss premises, where we spent another three days extensively testing the equipment and procedures for our Mars simulation, which will take place in Armenia from March 5 to April 5, 2024. Everything is now well packed and the logistics specialists from Gebrüder Weiss are taking care of the safe transportation to Armenia and back again. It all started on Friday with a press conference.

Behind every successful OeWF Analog mission are our teams, who keep the proverbial gears of the mission running. With a great deal of commitment and expert training in a wide range of disciplines, they form the backbone of operational excellence. Thanks to all of them and our partners, the dress rehearsal went smoothly. No job was too complex, no challenge too great. With their expertise, they ensured that our analog astronauts and the experiment teams were able to operate in a safe and well-prepared environment during the AMADEE-24 dress rehearsal.

Our new Mission Support Center (MSC) in Vienna performed the first live test run well, so we are well equipped for the mission. The heart of the MSC is the flight control team room (FCT), where the flight directors manage the mission and monitor the crew in the field with other teams such as biomedical engineers and psychologists to ensure safety at all times.

We are ready for AMADEE-24!

Just like our logistics partner, who invited its employees and their families on the final day of the dress rehearsal. The interest was enormous – 350 visitors, many questions were asked, what was allowed to be tried out was tried out. Gebrüder Weiss team members know very well that they sometimes transport prototypes and unique items for us and the experiment teams and how valuable their cargo is. And we know that the research equipment is in good hands.

Our official timekeeper at AMADEE-24, Fortis, was also present in Vienna and presented the new AMADEE-24 watch. Once again, the Swiss watch manufacturer is supporting our missions, now for the third time. Because the most valuable resource of our analog astronauts during a mission is time.

Easy Motion Skin supports our Mars simulation with EMS training suits – these are training suits that work with electro-muscle stimulation. Our analog astronauts are already using these vests for their fitness training and muscle building. After all, a complex Mars simulation like AMADEE-24 requires a high level of fitness.

We are now counting down the days until the first team members travel to our host country Armenia. In great anticipation of the upcoming mission: On to Mars!

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