08-16, 10:00–10:50 (US/Eastern), Little Theatre
This talk will present the design philosophy behind Offworld Voyage, a decentralized science initiative that develops ecologically sustainable training habitats for use in simulated Mars surface exploration missions - while also solving for adaptation to extreme climate change on Earth. The Offworld Voyage M.A.R.S. Tesseract Space Analog Simulation Habitats were designed with a zero waste ethos for minimal environmental impact by inventor Scott Beibin and Michael Flood. The modular and portable structures of the habitats include: a bio-dome for cultivating organic vegan plant-based and fungi-based nutrition sources, autonomous power production, advanced waste reclamation, a science laboratory for experimentation and research, a space medicine bay, a fabrication lab for prototyping and repair, facilities for fitness and creativity as well as a kitchen and living quarters.
Mission immersions incorporate a vision of the future when space has become accessible to all through the use of emerging ecologically sustainable appropriate technologies enabled by new types of egalitarian economic structures and coordination methods. Crew activities include EVA explorations in pressurized space suits outfitted with bio-sensors, 3D printed construction using regolith, utilization of open source communications tools, cooperative governance exercises and the practice of mutual aid and consensus decision-making in mission planning, problem-solving and self-sufficiency challenges in the face of extreme resource scarcity, simulated time-delayed communications, and experiments to analyze the effects of isolation on astronauts during offworld missions.
The inaugural mission for the M.A.R.S. Tesseract habitats will occur in a remote desert location in late 2025. It will include the founders of the project, Scott Beibin and Elizabeth Jane Cole, who are both alumni of the Mars Desert Research Station (Mission 286) and core committee members of The Journal for Space Analog Research.
Future plans for the project include the development of pressurized facilities and closed loop systems, as well as development of public goods including hardware and software for Space Analog Research and S.T.E.A.M-based educational programs.
Scott Beibin is an inventor, self-taught engineer, science-artist, community builder, committed social/environmental activist, and enthusiast of open source liberation eco-technologies. He is driven by a thirst for knowledge and enthralled by multiple domains of rational thought and scientific exploration. He believes in making discovery and learning fun and accessible for all. Scott is a founder of Offworld Voyage and co-designer of the M.A.R.S. Tesseract space analog research habitats - created to simultaneously promote space exploration and protection for the environment on Earth in the face of climate biodevastation. He is an alumnus of the Mars Desert Research Station and a core committee member of JSAR (The Journal for Space Analog Research - a project of The Mars Society). His current umbrella of projects include Mandelbot Ecotech, Music on Mars, Groucho Fractal, AncientScan, Ptelepathetique and the Evil Twin Booking Agency. In the past he ran Lost Film Fest and the DIY punk/hardcore label Bloodlink Records.
Elizabeth Jane Cole is a cofounder of Evil Twin Booking Agency, a speakers agency dedicated to advancing new ideas while transforming culture. The agency was created as a culture jamming project that challenged institutions of power by bringing emerging ideas from science, journalism, and environmental activism into the broader culture. While running the company, she has helped develop the concept, story, and strategy for projects that promote rational thought, access to information, and intelligent debate, as well as independent critical thinking. She is a cofounder of Offworld Voyage, a project which develops ecologically sustainable training habitats for use in space analog research missions that also solve for adaptation to climate change on Earth. She is an alumna of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) and a core committee member of The Journal for Space Analog Research (JSAR), a project of the Mars Society. In the past, she has written for Wired Magazine and other publications. She has also written and produced an episode for NPR’s Love and Radio podcast.
