Moon, Mars and beyond!
Preparing the future of space travel

Whether on the ISS, on the moon, or on Mars, conditions in space, on astronomical objects, or other planets are fundamentally different to those on Earth. Yet there are also similarities. As an analog astronaut, João Lousada prepares future manned space flights and missions. As one of up to six analog astronauts chosen by the Austrian Space Forum (ÖWF), he travels to different places on Earth with geological and topographical similarities to Mars.

The locations include the Kaunertal Glacier in Austria and the deserts of Dhofar in the Sultanate of Oman. The last mission, in which João Lousada took on the role of commander, was conducted in the Negev desert in southern Israel within the Ramon Crater. The rare form of erosion structures resembled various Mars surface features and a variety of terrain types relevant to Mars exploration. The test site offered a wide range of sand and rocky surfaces combined with a broad variability in inclination.

The experiments which the analog astronauts must carry out on site cover various disciplines, from geological and astrobiological investigations to technical experiments and planetary exploration strategies. These also include the use of the almost 50-kilogram spacesuit simulator, working with robots, rovers and drones, for example for terrain modelling, but also examining the psyche of the crew members under stressful working conditions, especially with regard to anxiety and depression as well as team work and team dynamics, communication and conflict resolution.

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Analog Missions

AMADEE-15

2015

Conducted by the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), the two-week Mars simulation took place in the rock glacier of Kaunertal, in Austria.
At nearly 3000 meters elevation, this was the highest ever conducted Mars simulation.
This was Joao’s first mission as an analog astronaut.

Poland Mars Analog Simulation (PMAS)

2017

The Poland Mars Analog Simulation (PMAS) was the first analog mission organized by the Space Generation Advisory Council
It was the first mission held at the Lunars analog habitat site, in Piła, Poland
Joao was the commander of the mission, being responsible for the crew of 6 analog astronauts.

AMADEE-18

2018

Conducted by the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), in the Dhofar region, in Oman, the AMADEE-18 mission was a four-week Mars analog mission, focused on the fields of engineering, planetary surface operations, astrobiology, geophysics and life sciences.
During the mission, Joao was assigned as deputy commander of the field team, being responsible for the analog astronauts and on-site support teams.

AMADEE-20

2021

Organized and conducted by the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), AMADEE-20 was the organization’s highest fidelity Mars analog simulation, taking a particular focus on the planetary exploration architecture as well as the physiological and psychological aspects of the crew, that was isolated for four weeks.
Joao was assigned as commander for the AMADEE-20, being responsible for the crew inside the habitat, their training, performance, team building and safety.