The AARG 10i mission crew holding the mission flag. This special flag represents the analog astronauts of the current mission and all previous missions at ILMAH. From left to right: Mission Specialist Anthony Poulin, Mission Specialist Stephen Berry, Flight Director Yuki “The Fonz” Nishimura, Crew Commander Estrella “Estre” Blanton, and Mission Specialist James Berg. Image courtesy of ILMAH Manager Pranika Gupta.
By James Berg
Master’s Student, Space Studies
The American Public University System Analog Research Group’s (AARG’s) 10i mission brought together a diverse crew for 14 days of simulated space exploration. This mission took place inside the Integrated Lunar and Martian Analog Habitat (ILMAH) at the University of North Dakota (UND) in May 2026.
This was the 10th mission that the University conducted in collaboration with UND. Our crew had a range of professional experience from the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Space Force and a military spouse.
During this 10i mission, we conducted scientific research, faced many challenges and managed daily habitat operations.
Training for Life in ILMAH
After months of virtual meetings, planning sessions and team-building activities, we finally met in person. Before entering ILMAH, we spent two days training alongside UND instructor Dr. Travis Nelson, Yuki, and other faculty, staff, and volunteers whose efforts make these analog missions possible.
The training covered every part of our mission, ranging from habitat systems and scientific research to using extravehicular activity (EVA) suits and operating the rover. We had a lot to cover in a short time to become familiar with the mission and with one another before entering ILMAH.
Training also reminded us that flexibility is just as important to crew members as preparation. After weather caused damage to the exterior of ILMAH, it required repair and we had our first team-building activity. Working together, we installed additional covering to shield ILMAH from the elements and preserve it for our mission and future crews.
The second day of training included a tour of the University of North Dakota, where we learned about the ongoing research and engineering projects supporting future space exploration. We saw the work being done on next-generation spacesuits and other aerospace technologies that reinforced our purpose behind analog missions. This tour built more excitement for the 10i mission.
We also prepared our flight suits by sewing on mission patches. For most of us, this work was the first experience using a sewing machine.
Sewing on our mission patches required patience, teamwork and a willingness to learn something new. By day’s end, we were ready to enter ILMAH and excited to get started.
The 10i Mission Begins
One hour before we went into ILMAH, we headed over to UND to take the moon photo. It is a tradition for all our mission crews.
After that, we had the final countdown livestream. We spoke about our expectations, our research goals and our feelings. This countdown was the moment that the reality of spending 14 days in ILMAH and not leaving it except for EVAs kicked in.
Before entering, Anthony plucked a small flower from the ground and said, “I am keeping this small piece of Earth with me.” We all climbed onto the stairs, turned around for one final photo and sealed the hatch behind us.
The first task started immediately. We inventoried all of our food and supplies and developed a meal plan that would sustain us for the full 10i mission.
Also, each day of the 10i mission was planned to balance scientific research with habitat operations. A typical day included:
- A cortisol sample
- A habitat inspection
- Yerba mate research
- Space mining research
- Emulating Communication Delays for Human Spaceflight Operations (ECHO)
- Exercise
- Mission planning and Mission Control reports
- Plant science research
- Extravehicular activities
- The use of AI as a personal therapist
- Surveys
- Astronomy research
While our schedule remained consistent throughout the mission, no two days were the same. Living in an isolated environment like ILMAH requires constant adaptability for us to communicate and work together to overcome any challenges that happen.
Reacting to Unexpected Situations during the 10i Mission
While our daily schedule gave us structure, unexpected situations tested our ability to communicate and work together under pressure. These situations became our most memorable experiences from the mission.
One challenge that we will not forget came early in the mission. What began as a normal EVA quickly became a test of our ability to respond under pressure.
While Estre and I were collecting samples, the cables to the suit’s fan got caught and cut in half, stopping the airflow inside the suit. The EVA team immediately decided to return to the habitat, while the intravehicular activity (IVA) team quickly responded to help.
Once everyone was inside, we removed Estre from the EVA suit and treated her for heat stress. After everyone was safe, we worked with Mission Control to get a new fan. When a replacement fan arrived, we discovered it was not configured properly.
Using the tools and resources available inside ILMAH, we modified the fan to improve its performance before the next scheduled EVA. The repair allowed our mission to continue without the loss of a single planned EVA.
Another challenge we faced was the increasing heat inside ILMAH. Temperatures reached above 100°F for multiple days as ILMAH’s cooling systems struggled to keep up.
When we checked the plant module, we discovered that a tripped breaker had disabled the air conditioning, putting the plant research at risk. We fixed the problem to allow most of the plants to survive through the remainder of the 10i mission.
By the end of the mission, it became clear that success in an analog habitat is more than just the research we completed.
Growth rarely happens when everything goes right. Every obstacle taught us something. The experience was a 10/10, but because every challenge became an opportunity to learn, adapt and grow together as a crew.” – Estre Blanton, Crew Commander
The Yerba Mate
While many of our research projects focused on the environment around ILMAH, we also conducted research on how yerba mate (a type of caffeinated herbal tea) consumption influences cognitive performance and decision-making in an isolated environment like ILMAH. As with many aspects of our analog research, even something as routine as drinking a beverage became an opportunity to collect meaningful scientific data.
Estre shared the inspiration behind bringing this yerba mate research project to the 10i mission. She said, “My research explored the potential of yerba mate, a traditional South American beverage native to Argentina. It was especially meaningful to investigate a part of my culture in the context of space exploration.
“I hope this work can contribute to future research on sustainable ways to support astronauts during long-duration space missions. To me, this research involved carrying a piece of home into the future of space exploration.”
The yerba mate study became a regular part of our daily routine. It demonstrated the importance of understanding human performance in isolated environments and how personal experiences and cultural traditions can contribute to future space exploration.
Astronomy Experiments
My research focused on evaluating the feasibility of deploying telescopes during EVAs and determining whether portable observing systems could complement a fixed observatory during an analog space mission. This research was designed to understand how future lunar mission crews might conduct astronomical observations while balancing life in a habitat.
To accomplish this goal, I deployed a personal telescope outside the habitat during EVAs and allowed it to autonomously observe three variable stars throughout the night.
At the same time, I remotely operated the University’s PlaneWave CDK24 telescope, part of the Dr. Wallace E. Boston Observatory in Charles Town, West Virginia. I observed an additional three variable stars and monitored a recently discovered supernova. This experience provided valuable insight into how scientific research can be integrated with the responsibilities of an analog astronaut.
Although the 10i mission placed realistic constraints on observation time, weather, and daily operations, it showed that meaningful astronomical research can be conducted alongside other mission objectives. The data I collected will continue to be analyzed after the 10i mission and will contribute to future research on astronomy operations in analog environments.
Team-Building Moments during the 10i Mission
As we got into our routine, we found time between research activities to do things as a crew. We ate every meal together and added the plants we harvested into our food mid-mission.
We all came from different backgrounds, so we shared different military stories and got to know each other. These experiences changed us from four individuals that joined a mission to a team.
Stephen brought movies to watch. We watched space movies and comedies, and one particularly bad horror movie that we wish we hadn’t seen. We tracked our stress levels throughout the 10i mission, and I noticed these times were when we all had the lowest levels of stress.
Anthony convinced us to play Catan one night. It was a board game left by a previous crew, and we really enjoyed it. Anthony was the only experienced player and despite the efforts of everyone working against me, I happened to win the only game we played in the end.
The using AI as a personal therapist project also brought us all together every day. We took a moment to watch a video and reflect on what the message was and what it meant to us.
We did a team-building exercise with LEGOs one day, and we ended up playing a few more times just for fun. We all agreed that our favorite video was with a boy that was missing an arm and built a functional one out of LEGOs.
Leaving ILMAH
By the time it came to leave ILMAH arrived, the habitat had become a home. During our final days, we all reflected on how the first few days felt chaotic and hard to keep up with. We shared a few laughs while we cleaned, inventoried and prepared the habitat for a future crew.
On the last day, we made sure to sign off with Mission Control who were there with us every step of the way. Mission Control contributed to our mission in different ways, ranging from sharing memes to helping us solve problems.
As we stepped out of the habitat for the first time in 14 days, it was a completely different feeling to have the wind against our faces and breathe fresh air again. The small things we often take for granted became the first things we noticed and appreciated the most.
Results of Our 10i Mission Research
After a mission like 10i ends, the work is only beginning. Research data collected during the 10i mission will be analyzed, papers will be written and the lessons learned during our mission will help shape future analog crews.
Analog research missions are about far more than preparing people to live on another world. They challenge crews to solve problems, conduct meaningful research and build the trust required to succeed when conditions become difficult.
Every experiment, every repair and every shared meal inside ILMAH contributed to that goal. Although the 10i mission is over, the knowledge we gained during those 14 days will continue to support future space research and astronauts.
About the Author
James Berg is currently pursuing a master’s degree in astronomy at American Military University. He holds an associate degree in Aircrew Safety Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force and a bachelor’s degree in space studies with a concentration in astronomy from American Military University.
James is an active member in the University’s Supernovae Research Program and variable star research program. In 2026, he earned second place in the International Planetarium Society’s “Pages of Stars” competition for his original work.
James served as a mission specialist during the AARG-10i analog mission, where he conducted independent research on variable stars and evaluated the feasibility of astronauts conducting astronomical observations while living and working on the lunar surface. He currently serves on active duty in the United States Air Force.
Comments are closed.