In a groundbreaking educational experience, students across Greece stepped into the boots of astronauts during DES@Mars 2024, the country’s first interactive Mars Analog Simulation. Organized by DES School in collaboration with Mars Society Hellas—the official Greek chapter of The Mars Society—the program brought space exploration to life for elementary and high school students through immersive, role-based learning.
Set in the year 2047, the simulation imagined the early days of a Martian settlement. Students, now “New Martians,” were tasked with building a viable community on the Red Planet. Based at the fictional ARES Station, each participant took on the role of a commander, scientist, engineer, or medical doctor, receiving personalized folders with real-world astronaut training “action cards.” These cards outlined complex challenges like solving mathematical and technological problems, conducting biological experiments, and ensuring the daily operations of the habitat.
This year’s mission centered on two goals: searching for water and setting up a weather station in the Hellas Planitia region—guided by data from the Mars Odyssey satellite. Every morning, team commanders received mission plans from a simulated Mission Control Center (MCC) on Earth and briefed their crew. Activities included soil sample collection, lab analysis, medical checks using thermometers and oximeters, and operating the weather station.
Adding to the realism, the mission was interrupted by an unexpected solar storm—signaled by an alarm—forcing astronauts to abandon their fieldwork and seek immediate shelter, just as real astronauts would.
The simulation wasn’t just about science—it also built essential life skills. Teamwork, communication, leadership, and quick decision-making were core to the experience, aligning with DES School’s holistic educational approach. At the end of the mission, students were awarded certificates, mission badges, lanyards, stickers, and their action cards as keepsakes.
DES@Mars 2024 marks an exciting step in engaging young minds with space exploration and STEAM education. With preparations already underway for the next mission, the program is igniting a passion for science and innovation in the next generation of explorers.
