• Welcome to NewMars Learning

    The Mars Society has spent more than twenty years sending crews to live and work in Mars analog habitats, generating hard-won knowledge about what it takes to explore another world. NewMars Learning is where we share that knowledge.

    Our courses are built from real operational experience at the Mars Desert Research Station in southern Utah. These are not theoretical exercises. They are lessons forged in the field by hundreds of crew members conducting simulated Mars surface operations in one of Earth's most demanding environments.

    300+
    Crew rotations since 2001
    60+
    Countries represented
    25+
    Years of operations

    Whether you are training for a crew rotation, conducting research in extreme environments, or simply driven by the question of how humans will live on Mars, you will find practical education here rooted in the Mars Society's mission: furthering the exploration and settlement of Mars.

Available courses

Introduction to Analog Astronautics
Analog Astronautics Programs
Introduction to Analog Astronautics

Learn the fundamentals of analog astronaut operations through the Mars Society's established program at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in southern Utah. Since 2001, more than 300 crews from over 60 countries have rotated through MDRS, simulating the conditions of Mars surface operations and producing hundreds of peer-reviewed publications.

This self-paced course covers the core disciplines of analog astronaut work: crew dynamics and leadership in isolated environments, extravehicular activity (EVA) planning and execution, field science under operational constraints, habitat systems management, and mission reporting. Each module is grounded in real protocols and lessons learned from crews who have lived and worked at the station.

Whether you are a researcher, educator, aspiring astronaut, or space enthusiast, this course provides a practical foundation in the principles and practices that shape how humanity prepares to live and work on Mars. Upon completion, participants will be prepared to apply for crew rotations at MDRS and contribute meaningfully to the next chapter of Mars analog research.

Format: Five self-paced learning modules with three progress checks and a final assessment.
Duration: Approximately one to two hours to complete.