The silence was broken by cheers and camera shutters as nine high school students exited the Mars simulation station at the Alqueva Lake Observatory near Monsaraz, Portugal, successfully completing the first-of-its-kind EXPLORE analog mission. From 23 to 27 June 2025, these students from Austria, Greece, and Portugal were astronauts for a week, exchanging their everyday lives for a challenging five-day immersion in an isolated landscape in the Alentejo province.
This pioneering mission was a joint effort by the project’s partners: the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), NUCLIO, the Greek school Ellinogermaniki Agogi (EA), the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), and the Alqueva Lake Observatory (OLA).
From the very first day, upon arriving at the observatory and seeing for the first time the MSC – Mission Support Center (on Earth) and the Habitat (which simulates a station on Mars), the students fully embraced the experience, taking on their roles and responsibilities with professionalism. They alternated through various roles: Flight Director, Remote Science Support, Procedures and Records Officer, Media, Ground Support, Flight Planning and field crew (Commander and Analog Astronauts 1 and 2), running the mission on their own without external help.
Project lead Gernot Grömer (OeWF) said: “A simulated Mars mission presents unique challenges – from the cognitive and mental workload to challenges of working in an international, interdisciplinary and intercultural environment, whilst embedded in an immersive tech-dominated setting. Yet these nine students not only faced these conditions head-on but actually thrived on that learning journey with self-discipline, resilience, and a truly impressive level of dedication and enthusiasm. Watch out for this generation of future explorers: they will be the ones that will realize the first actual human Mars mission.”
Analog missions, like this one, are critical for preparing for actual space missions. They provide realistic simulations of the extreme conditions found on Mars or the Moon, allowing for the testing of equipment, procedures, and the study of the psychological and physiological effects of isolation on crews. The barren, reddish landscape around the Alqueva Lake Observatory almost perfectly replicates the terrain of Mars, making it an ideal location for such a simulation.
Rosa Doran (NUCLIO) commented on the mission’s impact: “The transformation we observed in these students throughout the mission was remarkable. This type of hands-on, immersive learning experience is crucial for developing essential skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability. I am looking forward to following the progress of these young people. And let’s not forget their classmates, working behind the scenes to support them, following from a distance, as much a vital part of the mission as the analog astronauts themselves.”
Three Portuguese students from three different schools took part in the mission: Patrícia Ferreira Miguel, from Agrupamento de Escolas Professor Agostinho da Silva (Sintra), Frederico da Fonte de Jesus, from Escola Secundária de Paredes (Porto), and Pedro Rodrigues Gonçalves, from Agrupamento de Escolas Frei Gonçalo de Azevedo (Cascais). They were accompanied by Physics and Chemistry teacher Teresa Sousa, also from Frei Gonçalo de Azevedo. Each gave their testimony:
For Patrícia: “the mission was surprising because I wasn’t expecting many of the things that happened. In isolation, for example, we have no idea what’s going on outside, not even if our football team won! But, on the other hand, we feel more connected to each other because there’s no one else.”
Frederico shared with us that one word that best describes this experience is friendship: “We need to communicate clearly with each other for things to go well, and if we’re friends, communication becomes much easier.”
Pedro also shared his experience: “At first, in the habitat, I was a bit nervous, but then it was great. I learned that it’s important to follow procedures, and when we work as a team, everything becomes easier.”
The three Portuguese students agreed: “Science is a topic that connects people. Even if we have different opinions about everything else, we can relate through our shared passion, and EXPLORE is all about that.”
Teacher Teresa Sousa added: “The EXPLORE project inspires dreams and makes us believe in the best young people have to offer. The students not only deepened their knowledge in science and engineering, but also developed essential life skills. This extraordinary educational adventure gave them a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of space exploration, and I have no doubt it will shape their future paths.”
Also participating in the mission were Anastasios Boutsikos, Angelika Mara, and Nestoras-Eleftherios Lazoudis, all from Ellinogermaniki Agogi in Greece, accompanied by teacher Konstantinos Nousis. From Austria, the participants were Cecilia Tomczak from Amadeus International School Vienna, Daniel Putschögl from Europagymnasium Auhof Linz, and Fabian Kuess from Bundes Real Gymnasium in der Au, accompanied by teacher Andrea Muehlegger.
The Mayor of Reguengos de Monsaraz, Marta Prates, attended the closing ceremony to meet the students and visit the habitat and Mission Support Center.
The students also organized online interviews with Austrian schools and a radio station, HitRadio OE3. Due to the exceptional nature of this analog mission, media interest was significant. The Lusa News Agency issued a press release to Portuguese media, and the project was featured in the online editions of Público, Expresso and Forbes Portugal, as well as many other newspapers, magazines, and online platforms throughout the country. On the penultimate day, SIC TV station was on site to film a report aired in the Sunday afternoon news and on SIC Notícias, and TVI station was present on the final day. The Portuguese students will also participate in the program Radar XS, on RTP, the Portuguese national broadcaster.
The next EXPLORE mission is scheduled for 2026. Teachers interested in offering their students this transformative experience in the world of analog missions are invited to apply via the EXPLORE website: https://explore-project.eu/join-explore/.
Some photos of the Mission:
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(Parts of this article were adapted from the EXPLORE – COSPAR Press Release)