Under the title “Life on Mars,” Professor Marc Avila, spokesperson for “The Martian Mindset” cluster, presented his research in dialogue with astronaut Thomas Reiter and Dr. Anastasiya Tönjes, head of the Lightweight Materials Department at the Leibniz Institute for Materials Engineering. Professor Heiko Pälike participated in the event on behalf of the “The Ocean Floor” cluster. Professor Jutta Günther, President of the University of Bremen, and Stefan Offenhäuser from the Bremen Chamber of Commerce provided an overview of the topic.

The concept of sustainability is central to understanding The Martian Mindset cluster, as resources are scarce on Mars. Careful use of these resources is therefore essential – and the approach developed in the cluster can also be implemented to advance sustainability on Earth. Despite the differing research topics, the cluster shares many similarities with The Ocean Floor, including the exploration of hard-to-reach areas using robotics.

The event took place at Space Hub Bremen in the former Kaufhof building. From October 17 to November 29, an interactive exhibition and several events on the topic of space travel invite visitors to discover more. The Space Hub is a joint initiative of the Senator for Economic Affairs, Ports and Transformation; WFB Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen GmbH; and Brestadt GmbH. The Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) is also involved in the Space Hub's concept creation.