Speaking of going to Mars: Dr. Robert Zubrin and the Mars Society chose six fauxstronauts to “travel” to Mars in the Utah desert, which has terrain similar to that of the Red Planet. It’s a mission meant to discover what may lie ahead should we make it to our neighboring planet and one that raises awareness about a project close to the heart of the author of The Case for Mars.

From a byline-less CBS Denver report:

This week the group wrapped up a practice mission in the rural Utah desert.

“We are talking about the area known as Capitol Reef, not far from the Henry Mountains,” said Zubrin.

The Mars Society has organized a practice Mars station where hundreds of hopefuls who volunteered for the practice run were narrowed down to a crew of six.

They live in the desert for up to a month as if they were actually on Mars.

“The terrain is quite Mars-like,” said Zubrin.

The crew members on the most recent trip were from Europe. They perform missions that would theoretically helps Mars colonists such as collecting soil samples, building and moving equipment.

“We are starting to learn what is going to work on Mars, what is not going to work on Mars,” said Zubrin.

Zubrin calls the practice missions crucial to developing a guidebook to living on the red planet.•