Devon Island to be used by Google and Nasa for mars understanding…

Filed under: Mars, moon scapes by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment

June 3, 2025

Mars photos 2025

Devon Island Artic 6 years ago

Google Street view available

75°11’53″N 81°51’04″W

Devon Island is a large, uninhabited island located in the Queen Elizabeth Islands archipelago in the Canadian Arctic, part of Nunavut territory. It’s the second-largest island in the Queen Elizabeth Islands and the sixth-largest in Canada.
Relationship to Mars:
Devon Island has gained significant scientific interest due to its striking resemblance to the surface of Mars, earning it the nickname “Mars on Earth.” This makes it an ideal Mars analog environment for research and training related to future human missions to the Red Planet. Here’s why:
* Polar Desert Environment: Devon Island is a polar desert, meaning it is both extremely cold and dry, similar to the conditions on Mars. It receives very little precipitation, and temperatures can plummet to -50 °C in winter.
* Haughton Impact Crater: A major feature of Devon Island is the Haughton impact crater, a 23-kilometer wide crater formed by a meteorite impact about 39 million years ago. This crater and its surroundings offer a geological landscape that mimics various Martian features, including canyons, small gullies, and patterned ground. The presence of an impact crater is particularly relevant as Mars is heavily cratered.
* Barren, Rocky Landscape: Much of Devon Island is a barren plateau dominated by frost-shattered rocks, with minimal vegetation in many areas, creating a visual and environmental parallel to the Martian surface.
* Analog Research Stations: Because of these similarities, Devon Island hosts two primary Mars analog research facilities:
* Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station (FMARS): Operated by the Mars Society, FMARS is a simulated Mars habitat designed to test habitat designs, tools, technologies, and crew selection protocols under conditions similar to Mars. Crews live and work in the station, conducting geological and biological exploration as if they were on Mars.
* Haughton-Mars Project (HMP): This international, multidisciplinary research project focuses on studying the Haughton impact crater and its surrounding terrain as a planetary analog, particularly for the Moon and Mars. It’s partially funded by NASA.
Researchers use Devon Island to:
* Conduct geological and biological studies: Investigating how life might adapt to extreme conditions, and studying geological processes that could occur on Mars.
* Test equipment and procedures: Evaluating rovers, life support systems, and extravehicular activity (EVA) procedures in a challenging environment.
* Train astronauts and researchers: Providing a realistic simulation of the isolation, confinement, and challenges of a long-duration space mission.
* Understand human performance: Studying how individuals and teams perform in isolated, confined, and extreme environments, which has direct applications for astronaut selection and support.
In essence, Devon Island serves as a crucial terrestrial laboratory, allowing scientists to prepare for the complexities and challenges of exploring Mars without leaving Earth.