Publications

by Meridith Greythorne and Kai Staats
for the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)

Abstract
The Scalable, Interactive Model of an Off-World Community (SIMOC) is a computer simulation of a human habitat on Mars. Built upon decades of NASA research and authentic science processes, SIMOC is both a research-grade simulation and an engaging web-based tool for science education. Users access an intuitive web interface to select mission duration, inhabitants and life support modules, crew quarters and greenhouse sizes, food rations and cultivar seeds, and energy production and storage systems.

SIMOC engages citizen scientists and learners of all ages in the design of long-duration other-world habitats (with an emphasis on Mars), where the balance between mechanical and plant-based life support will be crucial. For the past three years, SIMOC has enjoyed expanding engagement in virtual and physical classrooms, available for free via the National Geographic Education resource library or local installation.

Using a Next Generation Science Standards-aligned curriculum, educators have explored creative applications of SIMOC, from single class time simulations to Mars habitats built from cardboard boxes with live carbon dioxide sensors; from essays on the challenges of human space exploration to full semester design and fabrication of habitats complete with student-built mock-ups in miniature.

Read the full article …

For the International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES 2023, hosted in Calgary, Canada, these three papers are accepted and will be presented:

Ecosystem Modeling and Validation using Empirical Data from NASA CELSS and Biosphere 2
– Session: ICES300: ECLSS Modeling and Test Correlations
– Authors: Grant Hawkins, Ezio Melotti, Kai Staats, Atila Meszaros, Gene Giacomelli

Integration and Validation of Mushroom and Algae into an Agent-based Model of a Physico-chemical and Bioregenerative ECLSS
– Session: ICES204: Bioregenerative Life Support
– Authors: Sean Gellenbeck, Joel L. Cuello, Barry Pryor, Kai Staats, Chuck Gerba

Integrating Real-Time Environmental Data into an Educational Web Interface
– Session: ICES307: Collaboration, Education Outreach, and Public Engagement
– Authors: Meridith Greythorne, Gregory Ross, Ian Castellanos, Grant Hawkins, Ezio Melotti, Ryan Meneses, Kai Staats, Gretchen Hollingsworth

Visit our Publications page for the complete list.

The SIMOC team has presented two papers at the International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), July 10-14, 2022.

Visit the Publications page at SAM to learn more …

Thomas Lagarde, Ingénieur système pour habitats dans les environnements extrèmes (System engineer for extreme environment habitats) has developed a Grasshopper code base that imports the results of a SIMOC simulation, then generates a 3D Mars base that corresponds to the parameters configured by the SIMOC user.

As presented at IAC 2021, Thomas developed this unique project to demonstrate the possibility of using existing solutions and concepts developed and used for earth applications as a design architecture for outer-space habitats. The future habitats/cities will need to evolve constantly, fixing a form, a system or a program is not the solution to adapt to an environment that we will learn a lot from when we get there. The design for a habitat and its systems will require constant modifications to adapt to changes in the environment, our knowledge of it and/or our reaction to it. Interior and exterior organizations will certainly change rapidly depending on new requirements. To produce an optimal design at a fast pace and correctly we need to use computational techniques such as parametric design or topology optimization. The new design solution should be the best according to a chosen set of conditions. For example: well-being, comfort, ease of operation and construction. With the help of software such as Rhino/Grasshopper and SIMOC we can demonstrate the practicality and the necessity of this approach for future human settlements in any extreme environment.

The SIMOC team has presented two papers at the International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), July 12-14, 2021.

Visit the Publications page at SAM to learn more …

Astrophysicist Dr. Paul Sutter interviews SAM Director Kai Staats from within the Biosphere 2!

“This week on Space Radio I had the opportunity to catch up with my good friend Kai Staats. Kai joined us from the grounds of the University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2 as we talked about his newest project, Space Analog for the Moon and Mars. Among other topics, we discussed the removal of perchlorates from the Martian soil and how Methane could potentially be used.” — Dr. Sutter

“With the SIMOC web interface, you can design your own Mars habitat and then run a simulation to find out if your astronauts would survive. By choosing life support systems, crew quarters, plants to clean the air and provide food, and more, you can learn a lot about just how complex and delicate extraterrestrial habitats are.”

In the weekly Planetary Society Downlink news update, SIMOC is featured as the Wow of the Week, Read the full post …

The SIMOC team has presented one paper at the International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), July 7-11, 2019.

Visit the Publications page at SAM to learn more …

In SpaceTalk, The Next Generation, February 2019, the magazine for the all International Space University Alumni, SIMOC is featured! In this 7-page spread, the story of how SIMOC got started through the first two phases of development is told. Read the full publication at Calameo.com