EARTH-Bound, Mars ready

Training for the future of human spaceflight.

SEA I-THALASSA

10 SOLS. 6 ANALOG ASTRONAUTS. 1 SIMULATED MARTIAN JOURNEY.

SEA I - THALASSA is a 10-sol (Martian day) simulated space mission running from August 8 to August 18, 2026. Living in physical isolation inside an advanced analog habitat at Titan Ranch in Arkansas, a crew of six exceptional student analog astronauts will simulate the high-stakes environment of a mission to Mars.

Operations are managed 24/7 right from the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology, where a team of 31 student flight controllers operates a state-of-the-art Mission Control Center (MCC). Bringing together nine research projects investigating human factors, space biology, and aerospace engineering, THALASSA bridges the gap between student innovation and the future of deep space exploration.

Coming Soon..

Patch designed by Hailey Nelson

TITAN RANCH

MEET OUR ANALOG ASTRONAUTS

(Click on any astronaut to view their full profile)

AMANDA GAlloway

Crew Commander and Chief Communications Officer

Ph.D. in Bioengineering at Rice University

SOPHIA KARAKO

Crew Commander and Crew Communications Officer

Undergraduate in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology

Crew Medical Officer

Emilio Larrazabal

M.D. at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine

Crew Scientist

Hailey Nelson

Ph.D. in Astrophysics at Arizona State University

Ariella Blackman

Crew Engineer

Undergraduate in Aerospace Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Crew Engineer

Umesh krishna ponugupati

Undergraduate in Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology

PROJECT 01 // UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA BOLIVIANA

An Assessment of a Commercial Off-The-Shelf Rover for Planetary Analog Exploration

Led by Gabriel Rojas Silva

This project will evaluate a teleoperated rover operating in the Uyuni Salt Flat, with analog astronauts controlling the rover from inside the habitat over a three-day operating period.

Image of COTS rover, Rumipi, rendered on the Uyuni Salt Flat in Bolivia.

PROJECT 02 // DEPAUL UNIVERSITY

Cognitive Control Under Sustained Analog Mission Stressors

Led by Soha Ali

This project uses cognitive assessments like the Stroop Test and task-switching paradigms to study astronaut cognitive flexibility during and after the mission.

Institutional logo representing the academic affiliation of the primary research team.

PROJECT 03 // GEORGIA TECH AEROSPACE ROBOTICS LAB & NASA JPL

Field Test of Coordinated Formation Sensing for a Multi-Rover Team

Led by Kurt Gugelev-Shapiro and Umesh Ponugupati

Developed in partnership with NASA JPL, this project focuses on coordinated rover movement, exploration, mapping, and ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization) feasibility analysis using CADRE rover models.

CADRE Lunar Rover CAD mockup.

PROJECT 04 // SOUTHEAST ANALOG MISSION MANAGEMENT

Evaluating Career Outcomes of Analog Astronaut Programs

Led by Vic Paulson

This initiative surveys analog astronauts and flight controllers to comprehensively evaluate how participating in Southeast Analog impacts student career trajectories, professional confidence, and goals in space-related fields.

Institutional logo representing the academic affiliation of the primary research team.

The Mission Control Center

The Southeast Analog Mission Control Center (MCC) is made up of 11 specialized teams and 31 student flight controllers operating from the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Designed to mirror a real NASA flight control room, this team maintains 24-hour support to manage communications, operations, schedules, crew safety, science activities, and mission technology, ensuring a successful, high-stakes analog mission.

Patch Designed By Hailey Nelson

TEAM 01 // MISSION LEADERSHIP

Flight Directors (FLIGHT)

The Flight Director leads the flight control team and serves as the final decision-making authority for mission activities, crew safety, habitat safety, and overall mission execution.

Mya Taheri

Alan Yeung

Bella Diedrich

TEAM 02 // SAFETY & SIMULATION

Chief Training Officers (CTO)

Primary mission safety and simulation lead. The CTO team oversees all simulations, ensures structural mission safety, injects anomalies during training scenarios, and possesses absolute authority to stop operations if conditions become hazardous.

Vic Paulson

Neeha Baireddy

Isadora Bokas

TEAM 03 // HABITAT LINK

Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM)

The primary communicator and single point of contact between Mission Control (MCC-GT) and the astronauts inside the habitat. CAPCOM routes instructions, manages telemetry feedback loop communication, and repeats crucial data seamlessly to the crew.

Francesca Ruhe

Carolina Rebelo

TEAM 04 // INTERNAL SYSTEMS

Operations Support Officer (OSO)

Manages all intravehicular activities (IVA), monitors science operation schedules, develops nutrition/exercise plans for the crew, and coordinates directly with research principal investigators (PIs) to verify experimental parameters are completed correctly.

Dhriti Naik

Kaitlyn Paulson

Soha Ali

Ajira Pandey

TEAM 05 // SURFACE MISSIONS

Extravehicular Activities Officer (EVA)

Plans and monitors all activities occurring outside the physical habitat structure. EVA coordinates crew selection, manages suit donning/doffing procedures, tracks prebreathe/depressurization intervals, and analyzes post-EVA reports to ensure flight safety.

Elias Pimentel

Kira Argiro

Jackie Morales-Corona

Katelyn Czarnowski

TEAM 06 // LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Electrical, Environmental, & Consumables Manager (EECOM)

Monitors external/internal environmental baselines, thermal controls (TCS), lifesupport systems (ECLSS), and habitat power grids (EPS). Tracks resource levels for food, water, waste, and oxygen, acting as second-in-command if Flight leaves the floor.

Shriya Sawant

Carolyn Conrad

Aaron Speyer

TEAM 07 // AV & ELECTRONICS

Communications Operations Management & Electronics Technology Specialist (COMETS)

A combined structure of traditional PLUTO and CRONUS console roles. COMETS directs all computer network equipment and IT systems inside the habitat, handling communication loops, encryption codes, and telemetry up/downlinks.

Thomas Smith

Shivali Chainani

Katya Tumanova

TEAM 08 // CONTROL OPERATIONS

Ground Control (GC)

Manages real-time communications hardware and system configurations. GC monitors local mission control networks, displays, GDS servers, active feeds, and cameras, maintaining link integrity both within the control center and out to the live public webstreams.

Jacob Gillet

Diego Dunham

Tilak Trivedi

TEAM 09 // MISSION COMMUNICATIONS

Public Affairs Officer (PAO)

Directs public-facing mission branding, media channels, social outlets, VIP engagement tours, and press releases. Coordinates talk show streams and external coverage pipelines representing Southeast Analog to the community.

Gabriel Buggi

Joey Garcia

Leslie Nava

Wendy Morara

TEAM 10 // SCHEDULING OPERATIONS

Operations Planner (OPSPLAN)

Drafts and manages the comprehensive daily schedule and timing flow for both control center staff and the astronaut crew. Ensures proper shifts are aligned, coordinates request blocks, and maintains chronological organization of activities.

Mahi Kansagara

Sarah Karl

Nishant Sood

Suleyka Figueroa

TEAM 11 // MEDICAL OPERATIONS

Flight Surgeon

Monitors medical baselines and physiological conditions. Remains on call to conduct private medical consultations with the crew, manage healthcare procedures, and coordinate health actions with MCC.

On-Call Support