MSE Sophomore Joins First Biosphere 2 Space Camp
Undergraduates from Kyoto University in Japan and colleges across Arizona gathered for the first official Space Camp at Biosphere 2 in August. Among them was MSE sophomore Daniel McConville.
The students participated in hands-on research in the diverse ecosystems of Biosphere 2, including the rainforest, ocean and desert biomes. They also attended lectures by faculty from Kyoto University and the UA, as well as three NASA and JAXA astronauts – Takao Doi, Richard Linnehan and Kimiya Yui.
The activities generated discussion about how to translate lessons learned from the Biosphere 2 closed system for human life support on Mars.
“We worked together to plan Biosphere 3,” said McConville. He plans to someday become an astronaut and use the education and experiences he gained at the UA and space camp to pursue a career in space development.