Mr. Avila, what motivated you to focus on Mars research?

I have been fascinated by space since childhood, inspired by books about astronomy and the first photos of Mars, which were taken by the Viking 1 and 2 space probes a few years before I was born. After graduating from high school, I studied mathematics and earned a doctoral degree in fluid mechanics. In 2016, I saw a job advertisement at the University of Bremen for a professorship in fluid mechanics combined with overseeing ZARM. The opportunity to do intensive space and Mars research appealed to me.

What interests you most about Mars?

Mars is so similar to the Earth, and yet completely different. The laws of nature are the same as they are here, and it is one of the few planets that could theoretically sustain human life. At the same time, life there would be fundamentally different from here. The gravitational pull is a third of the Earth’s, the average temperature is roughly -60 C, and we wouldn’t be able to breathe on our own. All of this and much more factors into our considerations about life on Mars.

The title of your proposal is “The Martian Mindset.” What mindset does one need in order to survive on Mars?

This mindset is that materials are scarce. All resources, including water, commodities, energy, and workers, are scarcer on Mars than on Earth. At the same time, on Earth, and in Europe in particular, we are noticing that our resources are limited. Which means that this research is relevant for Earth as well – this was the convincing argument when we formed the final proposal idea two years ago.

Who was part of the team that developed this proposal?

We developed the first rough ideas for the proposal four years ago at the University of Bremen’s MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes. However, we noticed quickly that we needed expertise in other scientific areas in addition to engineering. The University of Bremen is well established in space research and we were soon able to recruit researchers from various faculties to work on our proposal with us, which resulted in our team expanding to include over 25 people. Together, and with the support of Bremen State, we started the Humans on Mars initiative, which was a predecessor for the Martian Mindset. The proposal process is lengthy and consists of many steps. In May 2023, we submitted a draft proposal, which was evaluated by a scientific committee of the DFG. In February 2024, we celebrated our first partial success. As one of 41 teams submitting proposals nationwide, we were asked to submit a full proposal. Whether we actually receive this funding will be decided on May 22.

Does your team’s interdisciplinary structure reflect the overall nature of Mars research?

On the one hand, Mars research is inherently interdisciplinary, since there are so many ways to approach it. Astrobiologists focus on the microorganisms that could be helpful on Mars. Process engineers examine the production of aluminum based on Martian dust, and geophysicists and astrophysicists research the space environment, for example the radiation and processes that turned Mars into a desert. However, these scientific fields usually work largely independent of each other. I am not aware of any other initiatives in Mars research that involves so many disciplines working together so closely. Interdisciplinary approaches are our hallmark.

What have you learned from researchers in other fields?

The insights into work psychology have been particularly interesting. In a Martian environment, humans would face unique challenges in making decisions, because the processes are much more complex and lengthy than they are here. If a machine malfunctioned outside the habitat, it would take 45 minutes to put on a spacesuit and go outside. Would they actually venture out, potentially risking their lives, or would they navigate a robot to repair the machine? What information or advice from AI would they need in order to decide between these two options? How would they make this decision if there was no or little information available? I find these considerations fascinating.

What infrastructure is available in Bremen for your research?

Bremen has been strong in space research for years, which means that we have access to existing infrastructure such as the Moon and Mars Base Analog (MaMBA), a simulated Mars habitat, and the GraviTower Bremen Pro, which can simulate Martian gravitational conditions. At the beginning of the year, the Bremen Senate provided 3.7 million euros in additional funding from the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRE) for developing a Mars lab. Our plan is for parts of this to be operational in 2026 and for its completion in 2028.

What possibilities does the Mars lab offer?

It will consist of two different parts. In the first part, we will have two vacuum chambers that simulate living conditions on Mars, including temperature, air pressure, and atmospheric makeup. One of the rooms will also contain imitation Mars dust. We will watch how machines work under these conditions and how we can make them more robust. In the second part, we want to simulate the collaboration between humans, robots, and machines in a production facility. We want to incorporate the MaMBA in this lab, and we will also build a manufacturing hall. We will then test the feasibility of machines and robots being controlled when they are outside the habitat. Simulation of remote-controlled processes is new and unique in Mars research globally.

Further information

ZARM (Center of Applied Space Technology and Gravity)

MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes

Humans on Mars initiative