Life on Mars: simulating Red Planet base in Israeli desert

The Austrian Space Forum is organising another Mars simulation mission, after a pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the previous such effort done in Oman's Dhofar desert back in 2018. — AFP

Inside a huge crater in Israel's sun-baked Negev desert, a team wearing space suits ventures forth on a mission to simulate conditions on Mars.

The Austrian Space Forum has set up a pretend Martian base with the Israeli space agency at Makhtesh Ramon, a 500-metre (1,600-foot) deep, 40 kilometre (25 mile) wide crater.