Interview with Dr. Pascal Lee: How We Train for Mars
In this episode, Dr. Pascal Lee—planetary scientist at the SETI Institute and director of the Haughton-Mars Project—takes us inside the world’s leading Mars analog site on Devon Island. We explore how extreme field expeditions in the Arctic are shaping the technologies, strategies, and mindsets needed for the first human missions to Mars. From rover treks across frozen seas to testing habitats in isolation, this is where Earth meets the Red Planet.
SPACE EXPLORATION & PLANETARY SCIENCE
Vince Sanouvong and Dr. Pascal Lee
5/5/20251 min read
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What does it take to prepare for humanity’s first steps on Mars? For Dr. Pascal Lee, the answer begins in one of the most remote and extreme environments on Earth—Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic.
As a planetary scientist at the SETI Institute, director of the Haughton-Mars Project, and co-founder of the Mars Institute, Dr. Lee has dedicated his career to understanding how we can live, work, and explore the Red Planet. His work on Devon Island—home to the most Mars-like terrain on Earth—has helped scientists and engineers test technologies, habitats, and exploration strategies in conditions that mirror those on Mars.
In this episode of World of Aerospace, we dive into Dr. Lee’s incredible journey: from leading rover expeditions across frozen sea ice to shaping NASA’s Mars surface operations strategy. He shares lessons learned from over two decades of fieldwork, how analog missions can inform future interplanetary travel, and what it will take to send astronauts to Mars safely and effectively.
Whether you’re an aspiring space explorer, aerospace student, or just passionate about the future of human spaceflight, this conversation offers a rare inside look at how we’re getting ready to set foot on another world—one Arctic expedition at a time.