Crew SIM Capsule Design Team (THARSIS)
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Team Name
- Crew SIM Capsule Design Team (THARSIS)
THARSIS Leader
- Furkan Evirgen (İstanbul, Mekatronik Mühendisi, Gömülü Sistemler, IoT. Çağrı İşareti: TA2UEF)
THARSIS Crew
- Alican Tonbul (Physics, HAM Radio Callsign:TA1CBA)
- Emirhan Gerçeker (KTO Karatay University, Electrical and Electronics Engineering)
- Emre Yılmaz (Yildiz Technical University, Mathematical Engineering)
- Mustafa Zafer (Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Software Engineering)
- Recep Yazıcı (Istanbul University, Cerrahpaşa, Mechanical Engineering and YBS)
- Samet Burhan (Mechatronics Engineer)
About the THARSIS Team
The Crew SIM Capsule Design Team aims to develop a high-tech crew capsule that will support realistic space simulations.
The capsule will simulate the space environment on Earth, allowing astronaut candidates to undergo various training for launch, orbital flight, and splashdown scenarios.
These simulations are critically important for better understanding the dynamics of real space missions and preparing astronauts for the challenges they may encounter during their
missions.
THARSIS’s Mission
- By simulating the crew capsule on Earth, ensure that astronaut candidates receive comprehensive training before real Mars missions,
- Continuously improve the design and functionality of the crew capsule by utilizing new technologies and systems,
- Offer detailed training programs that cover scenarios the crew may encounter during critical mission phases such as launch, orbital flight, and landing,
- Integrate safety and emergency systems to ensure the crew’s survival in potential emergencies and the safe completion of their missions.
THARSIS’s Research Areas
- Simulation Technologies: Technological infrastructures necessary for developing realistic space simulations are researched. Simulation systems that include visual and auditory systems as well as physical hardware are developed,
- Life Support Systems: The design and optimization of life support systems, essential for astronauts’ survival during space missions, are conducted. These systems include air and respiration, temperature and humidity control, wastewater and solid waste management, as well as food and water supply,
- Safety and Emergency Management: Research is conducted on advanced safety and emergency systems to ensure crew safety,
- Robotics and Teleoperation: Robotic systems and remote control technologies are also used in spacecraft operations. This area aims to make missions safer and more efficient,
- Training Programs and Procedures: Comprehensive programs and procedures for astronaut training are developed. Analog astronaut training programs and capsule usage guides are prepared,
- Launch and Landing Simulations: Systems that simulate the launch and water landing stages of spacecraft are developed. Spacecraft control simulation, atmospheric entry, and landing simulation are included in this scope,
- Sustainability and Environmental Impact: During the design phases, ways to reduce the environmental footprint are also researched, including the use of various materials, hardware design, and mission scenarios.
Importance of THARSIS
The Mars mission will be the longest-term and most challenging manned space mission executed so far. Astronauts will spend the entirety of their journey to the planet Mars inside this capsule, and they will be able to carry out their tasks within the technological capabilities of the vehicle during this process. At the same time, the astronauts’ return to Earth and their successful re-entry into the atmosphere will also be possible with the crew capsule designed to accommodate any possible scenario or emergency situation.
In a manned Mars mission, unlike other manned missions, there are many challenges we need to overcome, such as delayed communication with the ground station, intense interplanetary radiation, long mission durations, and harsh planetary conditions.
As the THARSIS, our primary goal is to prepare our analog astronauts for their missions using the space simulation capsule we have designed.
The equipment and software we are developing are crucial for simulating space missions and training astronaut candidates.