Opportunities

Mars Society Australia is planning on expanding links with Australian universities through proposing a range of project suitable for honours students. MSA would mentor students doing these projects and provide background knowledge about the sites. Where possible and relevant, MSA members would accompany the students in the field. In exchange for this the student and institution would acknowledge MSA support and the student would join MSA for a minimum of the year. They would also be expected to present their results at a subsequent Australian Mars Exploration Conference.

Contact Dr Jonathan Clarke for more information and to register your interest.
 

PROPULSION

1. Performance of rockets using propellants that can be synthesised on Mars (O2, CO, CH4, CH3OH. C2H6)

FIELD ROBOTICS

1. Deployment of solar blankets in the field
2. Refuelling of vehicles using cryogenic liquids
3. Excavation and filling of hoppers
4. remote operation of water extraction plant

RESOURCE UTILISATION

1. Feasibility of water extraction from hydrated magnesium-calcium sulphates under simulated martian conditions
2. Feasibility of water extraction from hydrated magnesium-calcium sulphates in the laboratory from Mars analogue materials
3. Feasibility of water extraction from hydrated magnesium-calcium sulphates in the field from Mars analogue materials
4. Use of dehydrated magnesium-calcium sulphates as a building material under simulated martian conditions

ASTROBIOLOGY, EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES

1. Do the calcite veins in the Proterozoic rocks of the northern Flinders Ranges contain evidence of a deep hot biosphere such as could be found on Mars?
2. Preservation of organic features in the siliceous sinters of Mt Gee area, Flinders Ranges, and their relevance to the search for life on Mars.
3. Groundwater geomorphology of the Mt Babbage area, northern Flinders Ranges as analogues for Martian gullies and sapping features
4. Deposition in acid magnesium sulphate lakes of Western Australia, an analogue for the Burns Formation at Meridiani Planum.
5. Determining bedrock lithologies through aeolian dust mantles
6. Ferruginous granules in acidic groundwater of Western Australian palaeovalleys as analogues for Martian blueberries
7. Mars-like ventifacts in the Perry sand Hills, Mildura
8. Comparison between yardangs at Lake Mungo and Mars
9. Mineralogy of the Moon Plain (near Coober Pedy, SA) regolith magnesium sulphate deposit in comparison with the Burns Formation.
10. Interpretation of potential landing sites

SITE SELECTION

1. Site selection criteria for human Mars missions
2. Selection of potential landing sites for human missions to Mars.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

1. Public perception of human Mars missions
2. Development of Mars as a theme for integrated curricula in K-12 programs
3. Coordinated undergraduate planetary science curriculum