Completely "taken" by stunning Viking lander images relayed back from the Martian surface in the late 1970s, the AA Institute of Space Science & Technology set about creating an outdoor surface model of Mars as part of its "Mars Surface Simulations" (MSS) project in Spring 2002.   The project took a couple of months to complete, using 45kg of cement-sand mixture for base and occupied an area of (1.5 x 1.5) square metres of precious garden space for its containment! The area of Mars modelled in the exercise was purely fictitious, although the region was named "Utopia Planitia" after the real Viking Lander 2 site on Mars and features were named after plants in my garden!...see images below. 

 

The primary objective of MSS was to create a 3D topographic model of Mars' surface environment, with realistic colour, various types of features and terrain, to serve as a micro-rover test bed for 'Pathfinder'-type Mars surface exploration mission simulations (see Robotic Vehicles program).

Below are some hi-resolution images from the Institute's MSS gallery that show the 3D terrain from a range of perspectives. In particular, note the shadows cast by the mountains and the steep walls of a Valles Marineris type formation named "Canyon Vibernium"...

A panoramic view looking south from the Mars surface simulations site. Early afternoon on April 21st, 2002 [Image: Abdul Ahad]



Aerial image of Mars surface simulations site [Image: Abdul Ahad]



A simulated 'robotic outpost' comprising Micro-rover, Mars Surface Module (MSM) and the Mars Solar Energy Experiment (MSEE) on simulated Martian surface [Image: Abdul Ahad]



Key surface features and equipment identified on the surface model. [Image: Abdul Ahad]



A Mars Sample Return (MSR) vehicle - dubbed MDAV for Mars descent and ascent - simulated on the Martian surface, having landed in highly rocky terrain some 50mm west of Mount Abes! [Image: Abdul Ahad]

 

Martian Sunrise & Sunset

As I was fortunate enough to have constructed the above Mars surface model outdoors in my own back yard (at 52 degrees North latitude on the Earth's surface), it was possible to experience simulated Martian sunrise & sunset! Given that both Earth & Mars share similar 24-hour rotation periods and that Utopia Planitia is located at 49 degrees North latitude on Mars versus my Model located at 52 degrees North latitude on Earth, the virtual reality effect was damn close!

I used to notice the length of shadows cast by the surface rocks and mountains lengthen towards the late "Martian" afternoon ... and from places deep on the floor of Canyon Vibernium, the Sun would set over the local "Martian" horizon one or two hours ahead of the surrounding landscape!



Left: Frost at Utopia Planitia, Mars.
Original caption released with this image: This high-resolution color photo of the surface of Mars was taken by Viking Lander 2 at its Utopia Planitia landing site on May 18, 1979, and relayed to Earth by Orbiter 1 on June 7. It shows a thin coating of water ice on the rocks and soil...[NASA NSSDC]









My telescopic observations of Mars

Mars Pathfinder surface panorama

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