The Mars Habitat (www.marshabitat.blogspot.com) is
a Mars Research Station that will be operating in the semiarid region of
Brazilian Northeast, in the city of Caiçara do Rio do Vento – Rio Grande do Norte
state.
The Mars Habitat is
one of the projects developed in the Nucleus of Research
in Engineering, Science and Sustainability of Semiarid (NUPECS) (www.NupecsUFRN.blogspot.com)
The Mars Habitat is a
project developed by the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte – UFRN.
The project is based in the Department of Industrial Engineering and
coordinated by the professor Julio F. D. Rezende, PhD.
The Mars Habitat in
the initial phase is inviting researchers of the different engineering
departments and Physics researchers to develop technologies that will be
operating in the Mars Research Station The Mars Habitat.
The
decision about create The Mars Habitat is related to the following 10 objectives:
1) Be a space to
develop technologies to be operating in Mars and supporting the habitability in
red planet;
2) Develop technologies related with water supply,
food, shelter and clothing applied to Mars and arid Earth regions.
3) As a Research
Center Identify Worldwide technologies that would be receiving collaboration of
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte – UFRN researchers;
4) Identify possible outcomes/ technologies developed in Mars
Research Stations that would be transferred to communities impacted by climate
change (droughts and severe weather);
5) Establish partnerships with worldwide space research
groups;
6) Be a educative place to educators and students to
find new knowledge related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
(STEM) and personal sustainability;
7) Be a place to encourage new scientists in terms of
new communication skills, creative thinking skills, and both traditional and
technology skills.
8) Collaborate with
community and families of Caiçara do Rio do Vento focusing on changes in
student attitudes toward science and an awareness of college pathways and
opportunities for scientific careers.
9) Be a organization
to support new Mars Research Stations and international Space Agencies;
10) Be an active
player in the debate of Agenda for Sustainable Development and the new practices
in arid and semiarid regions related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
bringing collaboration to environment, society and economy of territories.
