Canadian astronaut and Western researcher to help students plan mission to Mars

Hansen and Osinski will give an introductory presentation about the importance and purpose of analogue missions – remote field tests in locations on earth that are similar to the extreme space environments on future space missions to destinations like the moon and Mars.

In a recent mission, Hansen received hands-on field geology training from Osinski and his team from Western’s Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration on Victoria Island in Canada’s Arctic, where they discovered and have been studying a new meteorite impact crater.

Following the presentation, the students will have the opportunity to ask Hansen and Osinski questions before designing their own analogue missions to be carried out by their classmates in nearby Springbank Park.

What: Analogue Mission to Mars: LDCSB Space and Space Exploration program
Who: Astronaut Jeremy Hansen,Western Planetary Geologist Gordon Osinski, Grade 8 Students
When: Thursday, May 9 at 9:00 a.m.
Where: St. George Parish, 1164 Commissioners Rd. W, London, ON

Hansen and Osinski will also be giving a free public lecture on their work on Wednesday, May 8 at 3:30pm in the University Community Centre, Room 56.