Articles by: Michaela Musilova

Michaela Musilova

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.

Articles by: Michaela Musilova

Officers Sean Gellenbeck and Dr. Brandy Nunez perform the Mission to Mars hair fertilizer experiment with hair donated by present and past crewmembers at HI-SEAS.

Bad weather on the 'moon' puts the HI-SEAS crew into 'low power mode' — Commander's report: lunar day 6

By Michaela Musilova

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 Selene V crew at the start of their mission at HI-SEAS

The commander pulls an April Fools' Day prank on the crew – Commander's Report: lunar day 2

By Michaela Musilova

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.

Selene IV crewmembers explore a lava cave near the HI-SEAS habitat for habitability and astrobiology research.

The great lunar 'bake off' of knots and moon rocks — Commander's report: lunar day 13

By Michaela Musilova

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.

Commander Musilova leads the Selene IV crew during a moonwalk.

HI-SEAS crew struggle to keep up hope as relentless storms foil their 'moonwalks' — Commander's report: lunar day 10

By Michaela Musilova

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.

Selene IV crewmembers focus on their research projects at their workstations in the HI-SEAS habitat.

Fighting aliens with 'Space Force' and clovers at HI-SEAS — Commander's report: lunar day 6

By Michaela Musilova

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.

The Selene IV crew right before the start of their lunar analog mission at HI-SEAS.

The purge of the HI-SEAS habitat — Commander's report: lunar day 2

By Michaela Musilova

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.

The Selene III crew takes a moonwalk during their lunar simulation mission at HI-SEAS.

Humans are both the weakest and the strongest link in the chain of space missions — Commander's report: lunar day 14

By Michaela Musilova

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.

Commander Michaela Musilova and Operations Officer Eboni Brown are pictured during a moonwalk above HI-SEAS.

Sunshine and 'moonwalks' heal the Selene III crew's dying optimism — Commander's report: lunar day 11

By Michaela Musilova

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 Selene III crew pose as Jedi knights to cheer themselves up during their stressful confinement in the HI-SEAS habitat.

Selene III commander's report: When all hope drains away from the crew on the 'moon' — Day 8

By Michaela Musilova

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.

The Selene III crew is pictured right after they arrived at the HI-SEAS habitat, before going into their lunar simulation mission.

Selene III: Starting off an analog lunar mission with exploding bombs — Commander's report: sol 3

By Michaela Musilova

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

The Valoria 2 crew chose to understand each other's love languages to bond better during an analog mission on Mars.

Valoria 2 crewmembers doing rigorous stretching post-handstand training at the HI-SEAS research station during a simulated Mars mission.

The Valoria 2 crew turns to the 'dark side,' changing HI-SEAS into Horror-SEAS — Commander's report: sol 10

By Michaela Musilova

While filming a mockumentary at HI-SEAS, the Valoria 2 captures how things could go very wrong on Mars.

Valoria 2 crewmembers test communications equipment during a Marswalk.

When the 'Mars' mission commander breaks new ground — Commander's report: sol 6

By Michaela Musilova

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

As soon as they arrived on Mars, the Valoria 2 crew threw themselves into challenging and entertaining space mission training.

Valoria 1 crewmembers take a "Marswalk" outside of the HI-SEAS habitat.

What didn't kill us on 'Mars' only made us stronger — Commander's report: sol 13

By Michaela Musilova

Living with the bare minimum taught the Valoria 1 crew valuable lessons in life.

The Valoria 1 crew is fighting to survive the night — Commander's report: sol 8

By Michaela Musilova

Crewmembers sacrifice everything they can to save their simulated Martian mission at HI-SEAS

Virtual reality and creativity help the crew escape their Martian confinement — Commander's report: sol 5

By Michaela Musilova

Stressed out and teased by the weather, the Valoria 1 crew immerses themselves in artistic and imaginative projects.

The Valoria 1 crew after arriving at the HI-SEAS station on the volcano Mauna Loa before starting their Mars analog mission.

New crew arrives in Hawaii for mock Mars mission — Commander's report: sol 2

By Michaela Musilova

The Sensoria M3 crew with the Lettuce Grow mini-greenhouse that provided them with enough greens to make several salads for their last supper on mission.

What makes a great crew on the moon — Commander's report: lunar day 14

By Michaela Musilova

Commander Musilova reflects on what was key for the Sensoria M3 crew to complete their analog mission on the moon successfully, while facing a number of challenges at the HI-SEAS habitat.

A Sensoria M3 crewmember during a night moonwalk outside the HI-SEAS habitat.

When traditions bring the crew together on the moon — Commander's report: lunar day 10

By Michaela Musilova

Commander Musilova describes the traditions the Sensoria M3 created on the moon and brought with them from Earth for the crew to bond during their simulated lunar mission at the HI-SEAS habitat.

A Sensoria M3 crewmember above HI-SEAS habitat during a moonwalk.

Avoiding digestive problems is part of daily activities on the moon for the Sensoria M3 crew — Commander's report: lunar day 6

By Michaela Musilova

The Sensoria M3 crew is doing their best to deal with the physiological challenges they are facing during their simulated moon mission at the HI-SEAS habitat.

SENSORIA M3 inside the HI-SEAS habitat during their lunar analog mission.

The start of the Sensoria M3 lunar mission is like Groundhog Day — Commander's report: lunar day 2

By Michaela Musilova

Commander Musilova reports about how the start of the Sensoria M3 mission feels like Groundhog Day and the emotional whiplash she gets after leading several lunar analog missions back to back.

Selene II crew above the HI-SEAS habitat after successfully finishing their analog moon mission.

Making hair fertilizer wraps up the Selene II lunar mission — Commander's report: lunar day 14

By Michaela Musilova

Commander Musilova reports about how the Selene II crew finished their mission successfully with a combination of lava tube exploration and donating body hair to make plant fertilizer.

Drone view of the HI-SEAS habitat and crewmembers on an extravehicular activity (EVA), or moonwalk.

Humor saved the day for the Selene II lunar analog mission — Commander's report: lunar day 11

By Michaela Musilova

Commander Musilova reports about how the Selene II crew employed humor and resourcefulness to preserve their sanity during a simulated Moon mission at the HI-SEAS habitat.

The HI-SEAS habitat, located on the volcano Mauna Loa and run by the International MoonBase Alliance.

Powering through challenges of the Selene II lunar analog mission — Commander's report: lunar day 7

By Michaela Musilova

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.

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