The Mars Society - Houston, Texas Analog Project

Texas Mars Analog Project, (TMAP) Coming Soon
Posted on August 16, 2021

The Texas Mars Analog Project or TMAP is a Mars Colony Analog site in Texas being developed to help train space crews for the construction and habitation of a sustainable colony on Mars.

A brand new analog environment. One that mimics real life conditions in space. The simulators are available to support manned missions to the moon and Mars with their unique environments. Science laboratories allow you to operate under the same restrictions as a in space. TMAP will provide tools, technologies, and procedures for testing space-related systems. The simulations accelerate the products and services development in fields like medicine, robotics, biotechnology, and sociology. Thanks to the presence of living modules, the analogs will host missions for crews that last for real work cycles on the moon and Mars ranging from months to years. Many studies can be conducted about Space psychology, privacy, and behavior. Companies and researchers can monitor the activities through control rooms remaining at the center of the City separate from the simulators.

This project is being developed as a Public / Private Partnership with the goal of getting the most impact locally from the growing space industries with the focus of creating jobs.

In Texas we do things BIG. TMAP will be one of the biggest analogs ever under taken and will require the resources and talents from many people, companies and countries.

Reference Information: About Analog Missions, Types of Analogs, Calendar, Experience an Analog, Human Research Programs, Global Participation, Education, Media Resources, Operational Goals, Layout

Design Basis: Long duration analog for a crew of 30 (1 crew, 3 shifts) for a 2 year rotation cycle. Continuous station keeping for 5-10 years of isolation and training. (similar to Mars-500 Project Analog)

Sponsoring Organization: Mars Space Construction, LLC

Status: In Development Stage

Needs: Location, Funding

Intended Location: Texas Gulf Coast.

Approximate Size: 20 Acres

Facilities: 1) Moon & Mars simulators including habitats, science labs, greenhouses, mock spaceport, power generation & storage 2) Education 3) Research & Development Complex 4) Business Center

Crew Activities: The major crew activities during the analog may consist of simulated spacewalks including virtual reality, command & control, communications, crop growth, meal preparation and consumption, exercise, hygiene activities, maintenance work, personal time, science work, commodity (methane, oxygen, water, hydrogen) processing, power generation & monitoring, and sleep.