What exactly are they doing at the Mars analog research site in Utah's southeast desert?

HANKSVILLE, Utah (KUTV) — Researchers from as far as France and Canada are in southeast Utah for a Mars simulation.

Past the Goblin Hoodos and through the town of Hanksville - with a population nearing 200 - and miles further off the less-traveled roads, is an area of the state that sure feels like Mars.

On Wednesday, Eye on Utah showed you the Mars Desert Research Station in Wayne County, where a crew is participating in a nearly two-week mission at the remote location, chosen because of its similarity to the Red Planet's terrain.

Founded by the Mars Society, a nonprofit that gives people a taste of what it's like to live on Earth's next-door neighbor, the facility is home for the seven-member crew as they conduct futuristic research over their 12 days at the site.

That research includes 14 different experiments.

Cécile Renaud, Greenhab officer and crew biologist, is using blue-green algae to help grow plants in harsh environments.

PART 1: Mars Society research site brings Red Planet experience to Earthlings in Utah

"This soil was developed by NASA to mimic Mars soil," she said. "And we have one seed that sprouted here."

Over at the Musk Observatory - named after Tesla founder and Twitter owner Elon Musk, whose foundation provided a grant to the Mars Society to establish the facility - the crew closely observes the sun. The equipment allows them to see sunspots and forecast the weather on the solar system's central body.

The mission is one that can take a toll, the crew members said.

"Even if you exercise two hours a day, which is what the astronauts in the (International) Space Station do, they still see bone loss," said the crew's medical officer, Audrey Derobertmasure.

Outside the facility, you'll spot a Mars rover prototype.

Erin Kennedy, the crew's engineer, is trying to get an internship with the NASA team that works on the Mars rovers. In that effort, she built her own.

It's designed to be powered by the wind.

"(It) would look for interesting geological activities on Mars," she said. "So, eruptions on Mars."

NASA is hoping to send people to the Red Planet within the next 15 years or so.

Get more information on the Mars Society and the facility in Wayne County at marssociety.org.\

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