HAPPENING NOW
November-December 2024
SAM CO2 Fingerprint Studies
Each of the SAM team members (10 at current count) will spend 60 hour sealed inside of SAM, Mode 0 (unpressurized, sealed) in order to determine the amount of carbon dioxide generated by each individual given a nearly identical diet and exercise and sleep schedule. This data will be used to establish a first-order baseline for future human-in-the-loop studies.More information coming soon …
COMING IN 2025
February 9-17, 2025
APUS Analog Research Group (AARG)
Lead by Kristen Miller, Professor, Department of Space Studies, American Public University System, AARG will perform a 10-day mission during early February 2025 at SAM. The mission will feature both a mid-mission crew shift-change from the SAM pressure vessel to the SAM Operations Center, and visa versa. This will be made possible using the SAM airlock. The mission will be facilitated by an on-site Mission Support team under the direction of Mission Flight Director Dennis Miller. Crew Captains Luis Gonzalez and Laura Reiske will each lead a crew of 4 for five days. Both crews will perform a wide variety of research projects including algae studies, EVA research, communications, crew nutrition, microbial spread, and water electrolysis.AARG is a student-led, faculty-advised research group under the direction of APUS faculty members Kristen Miller and Terry Trevino, with Noah Loy as the student Program Manager.
March-August 2025
SAM Food Cultivar Studies
The SAM team will host a series of controlled environment (greenhouse), hydroponics studies in the Test Module, employing Mode 0 (unpressurized, sealed) operation in order to determine the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered and oxygen generated by each food cultivar given similar CO2, light, nutrient, and temperature levels. This data will be used to establish a baseline for future bioregenerative studies.More information coming soon …
October 2025
Analog Astronaut Community World’s Biggest Analog
More information coming soon …
January-May 2026
SAM Food Cultivar Studies
A continuation of the food cultivar studies, as noted above (March-August 2025).
COMPLETED MISSIONS in 2023-2024
September 2024
Arizona State University
Amy Sawyer, MSc student and Dr. Changbin Chan
Funded by Bayer, Dr. Chan and Amy brought four varieties of tomatoes to SAM for a one-month controlled environment program and study. The water, electrical conductivity, nutrient, and pH levels were daily maintained by the SAM team (Luna Powell, Matthias Beach, Linda Leigh, Sean Gellenbeck) with Amy on-site twice each week. The goal was to bring the plants from transplant seedlings to flower and pollen collection. The project was a success. Amy is now analyzing the pollen samples with intent to understand the differences in self-pollination across the varieties.The full story coming soon …
March 10-15, 2024
Imagination 1
Christopher Cokinos, Commander
Liz George
Julie Swarstad Johnson
Ivy Wahome
May 9-15, 2023
Inclusion II
Bindhu Oommen, Commander
Sahda Haroon, Engineer
Andy Squires, Communications Officer, Accessibility
Keridwen Cornelius, Crew Journalist
April 26 – May 2, 2023
Inclusion I
Cassandra Klos, Commander and Crew Photographer
Dr. Eiman Jahangir, Medical officer
Bailey Burns, Engineer
Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen, Communications officer, Accessibility officer
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