Austrian Space Forum

The Austrian Space Forum (ÖWF) is a non-profit organization based in Innsbruck, Austria. It engages in educational outreach and public science communication, especially aimed at schools and young audiences with an interest in space exploration. Founded in 1999, the association brings together space enthusiasts and professionals from various disciplines who collaborate on Mars analog research and planetary science activities. The forum is particularly known for coordinating field simulations in remote regions, often involving international participants and interdisciplinary teams.

PolAres

Aouda.X during the Mars2013 dress rehearsal

Between 2007 and 2017, the Austrian Space Forum conducted a series of Mars analogue activities under the “PolAres” program. These efforts included technical and procedural tests for future human-robotic planetary missions. A primary focus was the development and field deployment of the Aouda.X spacesuit simulator, designed to support research in simulated extraterrestrial environments.

Rio Tinto Simulation 2011

Mars analogue field simulation in Southern Spain in April 2011, together with international experiments including ESA eurobot vehicle.^[1]

AMADEE-15 – Kaunertal Glacier Mission

In 2015, the Austrian Space Forum conducted the AMADEE-15 Mars analogue mission in the Kaunertal glacier region in Austria. The campaign focused on field tests for robotic operations, geoscientific sampling and remote support workflows. Several scientific results were published in peer-reviewed journals, including Acta Astronautica and Icarus.Grömer et al., 2016Markovski et al., 2017Lichenometry study, 2017

ADLER-1 cubesat

Launched on January 13, 2022, 22:51 UTC,^[2] the ADLER-1 cubesat orbits Earth at an altitude of about 500 km to detect space debris with particle sizes "in the micrometer range" for at least one year. The cubesat is 30x10x10 cm by size and was launched with the LauncherOne rocket by Virgin Orbit from California.^[3]

The acronym ADLER is composed of Austria Debris Detection Low Earth (Orbit) Reconnoiter. The probe's main instrument, the Austrian Particle Impact Detector (APID), was developed at the OeWF laboratory in Innsbruck. The entire ADLER-1 project cost a larger six-figure euro amount and was privately funded, by Findus Venture GmbH, Austria. The company Spire Global, California contributed its Lemur class small satellite and is responsible for the launch logistics as well as the operation of the small satellite.^[4][5][6]

Vertical Treadmill Facility

ESA vertical treadmill in Austria

This reduced gravity simulator is a European Space Agency (ESA) Ground-Based Facility operated by the Austrian Space Forum. Introduced in 2024, with reserve astronaut Dr. Carmen Possnig, it is the first ESA-designated Ground-Based Facility in Austria. It serves as a unique research platform for investigating human movement and physiological responses in partial or zero-gravity environments, such as those encountered on the Moon, Mars, or aboard the International Space Station (ISS).^[7]

The Vertical Treadmill simulates reduced gravity conditions by suspending a test subject horizontally using a harness and pulley system, then applying a variable pull-down force perpendicular to the vertical treadmill surface. This approach allows researchers to emulate gravity levels from 0 to 1g, making it suitable for studying hypo-gravity locomotion and the physiological impacts of space environments. The treadmill itself can operate at speeds ranging from 0 to 20 km/h and supports subjects weighing up to 110 kg. The entire facility has a mass of 703 kg, including a 450 kg treadmill rack, and is rated for use in parabolic flight campaigns. ^{[8] [9]}