{"id":24620,"date":"2024-12-31T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oewf.org\/?p=24620"},"modified":"2024-12-30T21:23:49","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T19:23:49","slug":"the-best-pictures-and-videos-of-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oewf.org\/en\/2024\/12\/the-best-pictures-and-videos-of-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"The best pictures and videos of 2024 – 15 years of the OeWF in review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On the last day of the year, we reflect on the most significant moments of the OeWF year. From the successful Mars simulation in Armenia to the farewell of our 2nd CubeSat ADLER-2 and the advancement of our educational initiatives – here are the most memorable pictures and videos from 2024.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Analog-Astronaut<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

1<\/span>Dress Rehearsal for AMADEE-24<\/strong>
In January, the second and final dress rehearsal for the AMADEE-24<\/a> Mars simulation took place in Vienna and Maria Lanzendorf. Such preparation weekends are essential for training and perfecting all processes of a complex simulation. Along with a fully staffed Mission Support Center, all experiments, analog astronauts, and support staff were on site. The photo shows analog astronaut Thomas Wijnen and the coordinator of the Armenian steering committee, Hayk Aslanyan \u00a9 OeWF\/vog.photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"2<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2<\/span>Experiencing Space Research Up Close<\/strong>
During the dress rehearsal, Gebr\u00fcder Weiss employees and their families attended the training sessions. Our education team provided a special program that brought space exploration to life for younger audiences through children’s spacesuits and Mars rovers \u00a9 OeWF\/vog.photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Drone<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3<\/span> Moving into the Habitat<\/strong>
On March 12, 2024, our six OeWF analog astronauts moved into the Armash Mars Analog Research Station. The station, situated in the Mars-like mountainous landscape of the Ararat region, provided ideal conditions for the simulation. \u00a9 OeWF\/vog.photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Anika<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4<\/span> An Inspiring Sight<\/strong>
During the AMADEE-24 mission, snow-covered Mount Ararat provided a breathtaking backdrop. The photo captures analog astronaut Anika Mehlis on a quad bike with the majestic 5,137-meter peak rising in the background. Such awe-inspiring landscapes could have a similar effect on future Mars astronauts: providing mental refreshment and helping them cope with the challenges of extended isolation. \u00a9 Julia\/ArmSpaceForum<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mission<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5<\/span>Mission Support Center Vienna<\/strong>
The Mission Support Center (MSC) in Vienna (“Earth”) supported the analog astronauts and GOST team on “Mars.” The MSC created daily flight plans and maintained close contact with experiment teams to ensure smooth operations. Despite a 10-minute communication delay between Earth and Mars, the MSC team efficiently responded to and resolved new challenges on “Mars. \u00a9 OeWF\/vog.photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Analog<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

6<\/span>Weather Challenges<\/strong>
Adverse weather conditions made AMADEE-24 one of our most challenging missions to date. The unpredictable weather complicated operations, as evidenced by this image of an EVA (extravehicular activity) in wet conditions. Thanks to the exceptional training of both the analog astronauts and Mission Support Center team, these situations were successfully managed.\u00a9 OeWF\/vog.photo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Seda<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

7<\/span>Annual Meeting of the European Geosciences Union (EGU)<\/strong>
Following the AMADEE-24 simulation, EGU 2024 took place in Vienna. At our initiative, a special session on crewed analog science was introduced and received widespread interest. The photo shows RSS team leader Dr. Seda Ozdemir-Fritz and Selina Schindler presenting an OeWF poster about the AMADEE-24 experiment GEOS-24 at the conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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