Dr. Michaela Musilova is an astrobiologist with a focus on life in extreme environments. She has a PhD degree from the University of Bristol and is a graduate from the International Space University's (ISU) Space Studies Program. Michaela's space research experience includes working at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, University of London Observatory, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, on NASA's and the U.K. Space Agency's MoonLite project, being an analogue astronaut and Commander of numerous simulated missions to the moon and Mars at the HI-SEAS station in Hawaii, and at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. Michaela is currently the Director of HI-SEAS, as part of the International MoonBase Alliance. She is also a visiting Professor at the Slovak University of Technology, Vice-Chair of the Slovak Organisation for Space Activities, Adjunct Faculty at ISU and the Senior Research Adviser for Mission Control Space Services Inc.
She has received numerous prizes and grants, including the Emerging Space Leaders Grant from the International Astronautical Federation (2016) and the Women in Aerospace – Europe Young Professional Award (2016), and she was selected as one of the most promising 30 under 30 by Forbes Slovakia (2015). Michaela is also actively involved in the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award, as a patron of the program in Slovakia and an Emerging Leader Representative for Europe, Mediterranean and Arab states. Furthermore, she enjoys participating in STEAM outreach activities from teaching at schools, giving public presentations, to working with the media and more, as well as encouraging people to pursue their dreams. For instance, she is an Advisory Board Member of the STEM Punks immersive programs for students and teachers.
Latest articles by Michaela Musilova

A sweet surprise and a bittersweet farewell — Commander's report: sol 14
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova admits to being deeply moved by her crew when they prepare a surprise gift and celebration in her honor, commemorating their extraordinary time on Mars as well.

The curse and silver lining of Martian dust storms – Commander's report: sol 10
By Michaela Musilova published
Valoria 3 crewmembers have been successfully dealing with the challenges bad weather has thrown at them during their mission, both inside and outside the HI-SEAS habitat.

Chocolate, music and research fuel Martian life at HI-SEAS – Commander's report: sol 6
By Michaela Musilova published
The Valoria 3 crewmembers have embraced their new Martian life and created a home out of HI-SEAS filled with chocolate smells, rap music and research experiments.

A 'rogue asteroid field' almost delays the Valoria 3 analog Mars mission — Commander's Report: sol 2
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova had to navigate through a 'rogue asteroid field' — aka a wildfire in Hawaii — to get her crew safely to the HI-SEAS analog space station for the start of their Martian simulation.

'Chestbursters' and the dark calling of the lunar underground — Commander's report: lunar day 14
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova shares how she was tempted to continue exploring underground caves at her own risk, which echoed her fears of returning to "Earth" after many months of being on analog missions.

The Selene V crew hit the moonwalk jackpot — Commander's report: lunar day 10
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova describes how the Selene V crew compensated for their confinement in the habitat by doing excessive amounts of moonwalks and research activities when the weather finally cleared.

Bad weather on the 'moon' puts the HI-SEAS crew into 'low power mode' — Commander's report: lunar day 6
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova shares how the Selene V crew was able to vent their disappointment from their moonwalks being canceled, their confinement and their low power existence in the HI-SEAS habitat.

The commander pulls an April Fools' Day prank on the crew – Commander's Report: lunar day 2
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova pranked the new Selene V crew with the help of a previous crew at the HI-SEAS habitat, as part of their initiation to surviving their analog lunar mission.

The great lunar 'bake off' of knots and moon rocks — Commander's report: lunar day 13
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova reflects on how freshly baked and grown food can significantly affect a crew's motivation to persevere through hardships during an analog lunar mission.

HI-SEAS crew struggle to keep up hope as relentless storms foil their 'moonwalks' — Commander's report: lunar day 10
By Michaela Musilova published
Trapped in a vicious cycle of hope and despair, the Selene IV crew clings on to all comforting and bonding moments on mission to break the unhealthy pattern they're stuck in.

Fighting aliens with 'Space Force' and clovers at HI-SEAS — Commander's report: lunar day 6
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova describes how the Selene IV crew uses lots of imagination, involving aliens and a heroic Space Force, to fight frustrations from their confinement inside the HI-SEAS habitat.

Powering through challenges of the Selene II lunar analog mission — Commander's report: lunar day 7
By Michaela Musilova last updated
Analog astronauts are currently facing challenges during a simulated Moon mission at the HI-SEAS habitat. Commander Musilova reports about the sacrifices the crew is making to survive the mission.

The Valoria 1 crew is fighting to survive the night — Commander's report: sol 8
By Michaela Musilova last updated
Crewmembers sacrifice everything they can to save their simulated Martian mission at HI-SEAS

The Valoria 2 crew turns to the 'dark side,' changing HI-SEAS into Horror-SEAS — Commander's report: sol 10
By Michaela Musilova last updated
While filming a mockumentary at HI-SEAS, the Valoria 2 captures how things could go very wrong on Mars.

Selene III commander's report: When all hope drains away from the crew on the 'moon' — Day 8
By Michaela Musilova last updated
Confined to the inside of the HI-SEAS habitat, the Selene III crew is starting to succumb to despair and the "dark side" when they're repeatedly not able to go on a moonwalk.

Sunshine and 'moonwalks' heal the Selene III crew's dying optimism — Commander's report: lunar day 11
By Michaela Musilova last updated
After many days of confinement and stress, the Selene III crew is able to experience their first moonwalks on their analog lunar mission and find new energy to complete their mission successfully.

The purge of the HI-SEAS habitat — Commander's report: lunar day 2
By Michaela Musilova published
Commander Musilova reflects on her inner battle to accept the Selene IV crew's dramatic new ways of life, which are full of both positive and surprising changes in the HI-SEAS lunar analog habitat.

Humans are both the weakest and the strongest link in the chain of space missions — Commander's report: lunar day 14
By Michaela Musilova published
At the end of their lunar analog mission, the Selene III crew is full of conflicting feelings about returning to life on Earth and saying goodbye to their space family.

Selene III: Starting off an analog lunar mission with exploding bombs — Commander's report: sol 3
By Michaela Musilova published
The Selene III analog lunar mission started with a literal "bang" when the crew decided to disarm bombs in their spare time. Commander Musilova reflects on each crew's ways of bonding together.

The importance of love language on Mars — Commander's report: sol 14
By Michaela Musilova published
The Valoria 2 crew chose to understand each other's love languages to bond better during an analog mission on Mars.

When the 'Mars' mission commander breaks new ground — Commander's report: sol 6
By Michaela Musilova published
Valoria 2's mission commander has been stuck in a vicious loop of analog space missions at HI-SEAS until now. Repetition and endless patience were on the daily menu for her during each mission.

Preparations for weightlessness both excite and scare the Valoria 2 crew — Commander's report: sol 2
By Michaela Musilova published
As soon as they arrived on Mars, the Valoria 2 crew threw themselves into challenging and entertaining space mission training.

What didn't kill us on 'Mars' only made us stronger — Commander's report: sol 13
By Michaela Musilova published
Living with the bare minimum taught the Valoria 1 crew valuable lessons in life.
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