The Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) sent a team of 'analog astronauts' to conduct Mars simulations in a desert in Israel.

Donning their OeWF-designed space suit prototypes, the crew of six from Austria, Israel, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands entered a planetary dome in the arid Negev desert for the Amadee-20 mission in October 2021.

The structure was built on the 500-metre deep Makhtesh Ramon crater and mimicked conditions on the red planet.

The team spent four grueling weeks conducting various tests, including operating drone prototypes, and testing out various mapping vehicles powered by wind and sun.

The project also aimed to provide insight into human behaviour and the effects of prolonged isolation on space personnel.

A similar simulation had been done in Armenia, Oman, Austria, and Morocco in a bid to prepare crews for future missions to Mars.

The OeWF said it has chosen Armenia for its next Mars simulation in March 2024.

NASA has said it plans to send astronauts to Mars by 2030.