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Reports from the MDRS
2007-2008 Field Season
MDRS Crew 71
April 13, 2008 - April 26, 2008
Daily Crew Reports
Research objectives
HungaroMars 2008
SCIENCE
- Meteorological station: the goal is to set up a complete meteorological station, which
communicates through Wi-Fi, retrieve the data 24/7, and later analyze the energy balance
of the terrain. We also use mobile meteorological sensors (anemometers, thermometers,
infrared thermometers) for discovering the micrometeorological differences
(microcilmates) of various terrain types around the hab.
- Microbiological experiment package: The goal is (A) to show the contamination from
humans, in the hab and its surrounding (B) to show the presence of microorganisms in the
surrounding, using samples of the air (dust), the soil (various depth) and surface. We
cultivate the samples and try to identify the microbes in it. The samples are destroyed
at the end.
- Geomorphology: change detection: Using previous crew's photos we revisit the same
sites of geomorphology interest, and try to determine the extent of erosion of the past
years or other changes in geomorphological parameters.
ENGENEERING
- Husar 2d autonomous rover: we will use the Husar 2-d rover for testing how rovers can
help humans on an expedition. The rover has a webcam, thermometer, can be moved through a
Wi-Fi connection from the hab or laptop computer on the field. The camera images and
thermometer data are transmitted via Wi-Fi to the hab.
HUMAN FACTOR
- Psychology experiment: using voice recordings and written documents, the Space
Research of the Psychological Research Institute of the Hungarian National Academy will
analyze the crews psychological parameters: since the crew is the subject of the
experiment, no other detail can be published at this stage. This is the main experiment
of Crew 71.
- EVA experiment: all EVA's parameters will be recorded (length, height difference etc)
and analyzed
- Free time experiment: the use of free time (emailing, websurfing, listening to music,
reading) will be monitored and later analyzed and compared to crew 42's results of the
same test.
- Food experiment: a "healthy space food" package has been made for the expedition. We
will try to obtain the ingredients it requires and follow the instructions. The result is
a partly subjective description of the food from all crewmembers.
- A nomenclature (place names) experiment has been started during crew 42's rotation and
the first results have been published in the scientific journal Cartographica. (Henrik I.
Hargitai, Hugh S. Gregory, Jan Osburg and Dennis Hands: Development of a Local Toponym
System at the Mars Desert Research Station. Cartographica volt. 42, no. 2 / Summer 2007).
This experiment will continue during our rotation.
ART
- The main goal of the expedition is to prepare a popular science movie about a human
expedition (life and work) on Mars (Produced by Inforg Studio, Hungary). We present life
in the hab, structure of a day, EVAs etc. We make an other movie: an experimental movie
as well. The main goal here to try if making an artistic movie on Mars is possible or
not: how a (at least, mostly) lifeless world can be made living by the story of a movie.
This is a hard task for our movie maker group, which has strictly to be part of the
simulation. How art can be present on a Mars expedition - the result can be an argument
to send artists to Mars (or at least to LEO).
| Name |
Speciality |
| Henrik Hargitai |
Commander |
| Ákos Kereszturi |
Geologist |
| István Tepliczky |
Engineer |
| Mónika Boros-Oláh |
Astronomer / EVA Coordinator |
| Tibor Hirsch |
Journalist |
| András Pires Muhi |
Cinematographer |
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Henrik Hargitai |
PhD in Geology, assistant professor
Born: Nov. 2. 1973, Budapest
Work: Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Physical Geography
DEGREES, DIPLOMAS: MSc Diploma in Geography, with specialization in Environmental (Physical) Geography: at Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Sciences, 1999;
MSc Diploma in Teacher of Geography at Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Sciences, 2000
MA Diploma in Communication: at Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Arts, 2001
PhD Degree in Geology (Physical Geography) at Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Sciences, 2007
RESEARCH INTEREST Planetary Geomorphology, Planetary Cartography, Geography / Geology of Planetary Surfaces in the Far Future (in billion years scale), History of planetary science and planetary cartography, History of the nomenlcature of planetary cartography, Astrobiology (astrobiology, xenobiology), outreach methodology
RESEARCH ABROAD MDRS Mars Desert Research Station Crew 42, January 15 - 28, 2006 Crew Mars Geographer; MTA-JSPS/104 Japanese-Hungarian cooperation. Tokyo (National Institute for Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan)-Okayama, June 2007.; 1998: Internship at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston
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Ákos Kereszturi |
Education:
- PHD geography
- M.S. geology, specialized in hydrogeology
- M.S. geography, specialized in hydrology
Current status:
- Fellow at Collegium Budapest, Mars Astrobiology Group
- Presdency member of Hungarian Astronomical Association
- National representative of the Hungarian Section of the European Association for Astronomy
Education
- Member of the Remote Science Team for MDRS, FMARS (2005-)
- Secretary of the Planetary and Space Science Working Group of the Regional Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Veszprém
- Nagy Károly Csillagászati Közhasznú Alapítvány member of the curatorium
Fields of interest: planetology, teaching and popularization of astronomy, astrobiology
Activity: Publications, Education, Popularization of astronomy
Field trips:
- Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station, Crew 9, geologist (2004 June)
- Mars Desert Research Station, Crew 23, geologist (2004 Ferbuary)
- Visiting researcher at Deutsche Luft und Raumfahrt, Institut für Planetenforschung (2006),
- Visiting researcher at Okayama University (2007)
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István Tepliczky |
Born in 1961, Tata, Hungary. He has been a computer system administrator of the Hungarian state oil company MOL for 26 years. He dealt efficiently with the IT challenges that have permanently evolved over the years of the company, which is one of the most significant players in Hungarian economy. Consequently, he has developed extensive experience in computers, data analysis and network management. Mr. Tepliczky has long been interested in many fields of science, including astronomy, meteorology, physics, technical sciences and environmental protection. He made his first astronomical observations of the Sun and planets in 1979. Over the years he developed great experience in variable stars and meteor astronomy, including visual, photographic and radio observations. One of his major achievements is the detection of the 1986 outbursts of the Alpha Aurigids meteor shower, cited by many professional publications. He has played a key role in organizing associations of Hungarian amateur astronomers. Since the 1980s, he has been a major driver behind a large number of astronomical events, such as star parties, observational camps, special meetings. He has been one of the two secretaries of the Hungarian Astronomical Association since 1992. He is also a member of the Editorial Board of the monthly journal Meteor. Recently, he became interested in online broadcasts of astronomical meetings using a variety of streaming techniques. In addition, I. Tepliczky has been a presenter of the radio station Fiksz, putting emphasis on topics from astronomy and environmentalism. At the MDRS he will carry out carefully selected astronomical and meteorological observations, as well as assisting in other projects that could benefit from his expertise.
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Mónika Boros-Oláh |
Born in Budapest in 1985. I took my school-leaving exams at Szent Margit Gimnázium (a secondary grammar school). My main subjects were informatics and Japan language. At present I am majoring in social pedagogy at Apor Vilmos Catholic College. I have been doing educational work in astronomy for the Hungarian Association of Astronomy since 2003. I hold weekly telescopic demonstrations in Polaris Observatory (or more often if needed).I regulary send articles for periodicals dealing with astronomy, for different home pages and I give lectures throughout the country. I have been an editor of Meteor astronomical journal (column Szabadszem) since 2003. My main topic is the planet Mars. Most of my lectures are held on the geology of the planet and the history of its charting. Between 2006-2007 I worked as a demonstrator at the Palace of Wonders. Making good use of my educational work experience I tried to be a good help to the visitors.
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Tibor Hirsch |
University reader, film-critic and scenarist
PhD in philosophy, aesthetics.
Work: ELTE Budapest University, Faculty of Art, Cinema and Communication Dept.
Journalist activity: Writing television- and cinema-reviews regularly for a Hungarian cinema-science periodical: "Metropolis", for the magazine: "Filmvilág" for the Hungarian Daily, "Népszabadság". Member of FIPRESCI, the International Federation of Film Critics, regular member of International Festival Juries (Tromso, Rotterdam, Varna), a former president of the experimental section jury of the Hungarian Film-week
Degrees, diplomas: MA: Hungarian and English Literature, MSc comparative studies, ELTE, Faculty of Art, 1979.
Main Interest as an academic: Science fiction and the silent screen, Early East-European cinema-related immigration in America. Hungarians and founding of Hollywood, Television genre-typology, Hungarian cinema in the 50th and 60th, New narrative forms.
Writing and co-writing experimental films: e.g. Dream-makers, 1996.
Books on Peter Greenaway, on Miklos Jancsó, on Francis Ford Coppola, on the "James Bond Myth", on "old and new cinema-moguls", on motion-picture experiments: cinema and multimedia.
Teaching and research experience abroad: Edinburgh, Berlin
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András Pires Muhi |
(Born 1984) I started my secondary school studies in Erzsébet Szilágyi Gymnasium, and finished in Ervin Szabó Gymnasium. During this time I won twice the National Champion title in football being a member of the FTC and the Vasas SC youth team. Presently I'm studying in the Eötvös Loránd University's filmtheory - filmhistory and Hungarian department.
My first product as a cinematographer was Merzuga, the threshold of Sahara in 2005. The film was selected to the program of Biarritz Film Festival.
On the Hungarian television channels (M1, M2, Duna tv, Sport 1, Sport 2) screenings more then 700.000 viewers saw my documentary, Hunfootball, the 91st minute (2006). It had been published in 3000 DVD copies at Hungaricom. And 1000 copies had been sold to the Hungarian Reinforcement Institute for educational reason. The film won the student jury's special prize on the 38. Hungarian Film week.
In 2007 I worked as assistant director in an advertisement of Sony, which was shot in Hungary.
Since 2007 I've been managing Inforg Studio's workshop as a creative producer.
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