Crew 314 – Mission Summary – 18Apr2025
Curiosity Brought Us Here, Perseverance Kept Us Going, Opportunity Pushed Us Further, and Spirit Made It Matter
We are seven Belgian students, from Bachelor’s to PhD levels, brought together by inquisitiveness and purpose, each rooted in a different field — medicine, biology, bioengineering, geography, data science, and physical therapy. Over the course of a year, we prepared side by side in Belgium, not just as individuals, but as a crew — the Syrtis Crew, representing Mars UCLouvain.
On April 6th, 2025, we arrived in Utah, eyes wide with wonder and hearts full of anticipation. That evening, under a fading Earth sky, we took our first steps into a new rhythm of time and place — Sol 0. With excitement buzzing in the air, we explored our new Martian home, and by nightfall, the simulation had begun. A journey awaited — not just across red soil and silence, but inward, toward what it truly means to live, learn, and grow together.
Every mission starts with its crew — here is ours.
Béatrice, our commander, is a medical student and a natural-born leader. She was eager to explore every corner of the Red Planet. Most of her time was spent organizing and leading EVAs, and when she wasn’t dreaming of the outdoors, she worked with Arnaud on a health science experiment and kept the crew active through daily exercises — either on the home trainer or strength training inside the Hab.
Arnaud, our Executive Officer, was like the crew’s wise soul. The only one among us who had already been on Mars the year before, he brought calmness and steady presence. He worked closely with Béatrice on their research and also analyzed our sleep and well-being during this unique time.
Antoine, our Crew Engineer, studies geography when he’s not pretending to be an astronaut. Initially quiet, he gradually opened up and became one of the most caring members of the crew. He loved spending time outdoors, as his background suggests, and studied the effects of wind and dust erosion. He also built a creative and original device to conduct his experiment in the Martian landscape.
Batoul, our Crew Journalist, may be the youngest at 22, but her dedication and hard work would make you think otherwise. As a microbiologist, she is both funny and fiercely determined. She spent most of her time in the Science Dome, studying how different bacteria might survive on Mars under stressful conditions like UV-C radiation. She also mastered the art of making bold and delicious pancakes for the crew.
Bérengère, our GreenHab Officer, is a PhD student in bioengineering. She is calm and observant, always offering the kind of small attention that brightens your day. She studied the effect of Martian conditions on fungi—how they grow and replicate—often working side-by-side with Batoul in the Science Dome. She also became our resident baker, delighting us all with incredible homemade bread every morning.
Louis, our Astronomer, is a data science student and a man of many talents. He can cook, sing, and name every rocket launch from the past decade, with a playlist even Spotify would envy. When the sun allowed, he spent his time in the Observatory, capturing the star. He also worked on an experiment about human-machine interaction and taught us all a bit of astronaut coding. Always ready with a joke, Louis was the heart of laughter and joy in the crew.
Odile, the Health and Safety Officer, is a pediatric resident on Earth, though sometimes she forgot the crew wasn’t made of her usual tiny patients. She was thrilled to teach basic life support to the crew and led simulated medical emergencies by day and night, always pushing the team’s limits while supporting them through this deeply human journey. She also tried to capture this experience through her drawings, using pencils and brushes to bridge the distance with Earth, inspired by this landscape echoing ancient times.
We spent our first night on Sol 0, transitioning from Earth’s days to Mars’ longer ones—each day here lasting 39 minutes more. To capture the essence of our mission, we would trace three paths: one of exploration, one of science, and one of humanity.
The Adventurer
Our first steps on the Red Planet were cautious, even a little nervous. We began exploring nearby sites like Marble Ritual, which quickly felt like home. We had to learn how to move, how to communicate in our suits. Each of us was assigned a number—one that matched both our radio and spacesuit—becoming a small but meaningful part of our identity during the mission.
Accompanied by our loyal rovers—Opportunity (wise but slow), Curiosity (young and fast), Perseverance (steadfast in all terrains), and Spirit (never giving up) — we pushed our limits. From the arid Pooh’s Corner and Cowboy Corner, to the shell-covered Sea of Shells (an ancient ocean), then to the majestic Candor Chasma where the sky seems to deepen with each step, we explored further into Martian landscapes.
We reached the Special Region — so hauntingly beautiful that our doctor-artist Odile was inspired to sketch ancient creatures, imagining the fossilized giants that once roamed this land long ago — and finally Green Mars View, where hope flickers like the serpentine river winding below. At each destination, our GreenHab and Journalist Officer reminded us to collect soil samples, and our Engineer installed his equipment to monitor wind and dust, assisted by the MDRS weather station.
The Scientist
Science was at the heart of our mission. Each crew member dedicated long hours to their field experiments (details available in the End-of-Mission Research Report). But our mission was not just about our personal research—it was also about paving the way for future crews and staying connected to our Mission Support Team on Earth.
Each day, we played our roles—Commander, Executive Officer, Engineer, Journalist, GreenHab Officer, Astronomer, Health and Safety Officer — and took responsibility for the functioning of our small Martian society. From monitoring water levels to troubleshooting a pipe leak in the toilet on Sol 3 (yes, bathrooms matter even on Mars), these roles kept us grounded and functional.
Despite the challenges, we sent in daily reports to Earth, capturing our activities and every difficulty we faced—big or small. Most of our time was spent in the Hab, but also in the RAM, Science Dome, GreenHab, and Observatory. Unfortunately, the sun grew shyer as the days went on, limiting our Astronomer’s work. Still, he managed to capture breathtaking images of the stars, encouraged by Peter Detterline, who supported us from Earth.
The Human
Above all, this mission reminded us that we are, first and foremost, human. It was made of highs and lows, of challenges and shared moments. We cooked together (some might say we became gourmet chefs of freeze-dried food), listened to music (occasionally singing, as the Science Dome has magical acoustics), played games (creating rivalries that may last a lifetime), and read stories, wondering if perhaps one day, we might be characters in someone else’s adventure.
Today, our two-week simulation comes to an end. Our feelings are hard to put into words—caught somewhere between excitement and sadness, joy and nostalgia, happiness and bittersweet reflection. This experience will stay with us forever.
As someone once said: It may have been a small step for Martian exploration, but it was a giant leap for all of us.
Thank you, MDRS, for this unforgettable journey.