In Association With   
Introduce - SPACEWARD BOUND AUSTRALIA
Preparing Australians for living and working on Mars
In July 2007, the Mars Society Australia, Inc. entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with NASA's Spaceward Bound program based at the Ames Research Centre in California. The MoU enables the MSA to conduct analog research and eduction programs in association with and based on the Spaceward Bound concept.

Spaceward Bound is an educational program developed at NASA Ames and funded by the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD).

The mission of Spaceward Bound is to train the next generation of space explorers by having students and teachers participate in the exploration of scientifically interesting but remote and extreme environments on Earth as analogs for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

Spaceward Bound supports the second major NASA education goal to attract and retain students in STEM disciplines through a progression of educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM and Education, pre-service and in-service STEM K-12 teachers as well as STEM education faculty.

(Left) Dr. James Waldie, Project Manager, MSA's MarsSkin Mechanical Counter-Pressure Space Suit Project, contemplates a Martian future for Earthlings at Paralana Springs near Arkaroola Mars analog site in South Australia, and (right) taking measurements in a data logger above the Mars-like cliffs of western Utah, site of the Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Stattion in the United States during Mission Leonardo wearing a MarsSkin analog space suit prototype. These are suitable environments for Spaceward Bound activities, along with the Mojave Desert, Calif, Haughton Is., Canada and the Atacana Desert in Chile.

Australian Participation - Spaceward Bound Australia One -
the first Spaceward Bound Australia Expedition - Woomera, Arkaroola and Wilpena Pound.

  • Graduate and Undergraduate High School Teachers with an interest in Space Science are invited to attend this 8 day Expedition.

  • Following the 8th Australian Mars Exploration Conference (AMEC 2008)being held at the University of South Australia, in Adelaide, S.Aust. from the 4 - 6th of July, the MSA will be conducting Spaceward Bound Australia One (SBA1). SBA1 will leave Adelaide on the 7th of July for an educational program taking in Woomera, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and Wilpena (Rawnsley Park) returning to the University of South Australia in Adelaide on Tuesday 15th of July.
  • Leading the Expedition will be Professor Vic Gostin of the University of Adelaide, South Australia and MSA Education Officer Mr Mark Gargano, St Joseph's School, Northam, Western Australia. Attending SBA1, will be Dr Lizabeth K. Coe, Manager, Ames Educational Technology Team, of NASA's Spaceward Bound from Ames Research Center, Calif and Ms Artemis Westenberg, Director, International Relations for The Mars Society and also President of the Mars Society of the Netherlands.
If you are interested in joining this group please send your name, address, phone numbers,
email address and school/institute affiliation and you will be sent a package outlining the event.

Europa 1, ELDO [Euopean Launcher Development Organisation] rocket ready for lift off at Woomera 1967. The Woomera Heritage Centre has a unique collection of artefacts from more than 50 years of missile and rocket launchings.

Expedition Outline
- Initial outline of program, this will be fully refined by the 1st of June.

DayDateAccommodation Events
Monday July 7th Woomera village Transit Adelaide to Woomera
Tuesday July 8th Woomera village Woomera Museum and Space and Rocket Park, Woomera Heritage Centre and then PM Nurrangar.
Wednesday July 9th Woomera villageLake Hart Launch facility, ASRI launch site, Woomera Meterology Office and Cangaroo Project (Gamma Ray Observatory).
Thursday July 10th Arkaroola (Greenwood Lodge) Travel from Woomera to Arkaroola.
We would either go back through Port Augusta or over the top via Olympic Dam & Maree
Friday July 11th Arkaroola (Greenwood Lodge) Tour of the Precambrian geology of Mt Painter
Saturday July 12thArkaroola (Greenwood Lodge) AM geology tour to Lake Frome Plains, mars oz site, and Paralana radioactive hot springs
PM tour of Beverley uranium Mine
Sunday July 13th Arkaroola (Greenwood Lodge) AM Mt Gee and the ridge top
PM Free time
or PM people can do the scenic flight, local walks, or rest
Monday July 14th Rawnsley Park AM Corridors Through Time geology trail at Brachina Gorge
PM Wilpena solar power station
Tuesday July 15th Adelaide (various)Travel Time Rawnsley Park to Adelaide
The once top secret but down deactivated Nurrungar satellite ground station. The Arkaroola region has a wide range of Mars analogue features and terrains, from salt lakes to rocky gorges.

Participants Costs
- All costs are borne by the participants.

  • The Expedition fee of $ 550.00 covers the cost of transport by 4WD vehicle to Woomera, Arkaroola and return. It also covers cost of overnight accomadation at the selected motels listed.
  • NOT INCLUDED are all meals, drinks, and toiletries. These being left to the expeditioner to arrange from the menus provided by the various restaurants, diners and stores at the stop over points. Persons requiring special menus should discuss arrangements before departure with the establishments listed.

    • Arkaroola - See here for Greenwood Lodge, Arkaroola accomodation.
    • Woomera - See here for Woomera Travellers' Village accomodation .
    • Rawnsley Park See here for Rawnsley Park accommodation.

    >/TD>
    Island Lagoon, WoomeraSillars Lookout, Arkaroola

    Spaceward Bound Oz Personal Packing Guide

    This guide, developed from Mars Society Australia experience with the JNT-1 and Expedition Two documents should help you prepare for the trip. Remember that space will be scarce, so take your time and make an effort to reduce the weight and volume of your luggage. Throwing everything you can get your hands on into several bags at the last minute is a bad idea, since you'll need to be able to easily access your belongings and we don't want to overload the vehicles.

    In July the weather in the desert regions we will be visiting should be mild during the day and cool at night (mean temperature range at Arkaroola in August is 4-18°C, but it can go below zero at night and above 30°). We'll be hiking out in bright, dry, dusty, places, so you'll need appropriate clothing, a backpack, good hiking boots, sunglasses and a sun hat. This is only a guide to personal items.

    Expedition crew may also need to bring specialised equipment for the survey/experimental work, such as maps, compasses, binoculars, sample containers, rock hammers, laptops, floppy disks, GPS receivers, video cameras, recording media, etc., depending on their work assignments.

    General clothing. Hiking boots, shoes, socks, spare laces. A good brimmed sun hat. Thongs or waterproof sandals are a good idea for showering. Lighter shoes can be worn round camp or when travelling. You will need a small bath towel. Two shortsleeved shirts or tee shirts, one or two long-sleeved shirts for cool weather/night and against insects. Trousers or jeans, Light windcheater, one warm jumper or coat, windproof raincoat yes, it can rain). Underwear, handkerchiefs, pyjamas or a track suit for sleeping. A woollen hat and gloves would be useful at night.

    Toiletry bag. Soap, razors/feminine hygiene products, small mirror, pack of chux (for face washers), premoistened baby wipes. 30+SPF sunscreen, lip balm, deodorant, toothbrush, paste. 'Rid' personal insect repellent, mosquito net, personal torch with spare batteries (very important, since insects are a serious problem in some areas). Prescription medication, contact lens kit, spectacles, sunglasses (any crucial items should be duplicated in case of loss/breakage). It should be possible to pack all of this into a bag about 500mm x 350mm x 350mm.

    Day bag. Camera and plenty of film, spare batteries. Diary/notebook, pens, small magnifying glass, watch, wallet with drivers license, credit cards etc. A good Leatherman tool or Swiss army knife can be quite useful. A card or paper with personal emergency information, who to contact in case of emergency, any special medical needs, etc. Make sure you have 2 L of water with you if working from a vehicle, 4L if spending the day on foot.

    Sleeping bag and linen. You will need to provide a sleeping bag and pillow and towel.

    First aid gear. It is not necessary for each person to carry anything more than a very rudimentary small first aid kit. This might include bandaids, chopstick, a small bandage, safety pins, painkillers, a pair of nail scissors, pair of tweezers, disinfectant, eyedrops. The Flying Doctor Service can be contacted for anything serious. Bring any personal medication you may need as well.

    Electronic gear. The outback can be tough on your hardware. It will be a good idea to both pad your delicate equipment against shocks/vibration, and seal it in an airtight bag against dust. If your video camera, laptop, or other special piece of equipment has a 12 volt power pack then please bring it. Bring plenty of spare batteries to guard against power failures at the crucial moment.

    All participants will be provided a booklet covering the Expedition rules and standards of conduct during the event.

    General Information
    - additional information on the area can be found on these sites.
  • Flinders Ranges National Park

    • This page is sponsored by

    Welcome to Dave's Hobby Centre