Jin has been an aspiring space explorer for as long as he can remember. He was inspired by The Case for Mars to dedicate his life to landing explorers on the red planet. Jin is also an avid environmentalist, human rights activist, and die-hard science fiction lover. He was part of a simulated Mars mission at the Mars Desert Research Station as part of Crew 228 (mdrs228.com). With the Mars Society of Canada, he applied his enthusiasm for space exploration and growing command of engineering principles to research and development projects, writing for the website, and more. As part of a core group of volunteers, he supported MSC activities and operations.
In Ann Friedman’s 2014 profile of American astronaut Sally Ride, she notes that in 1990, NASA management “quietly ordered a working group of physicians to declare homosexuality a ‘psychiatrically disqualifying condition’” for astronaut selection. Although this rule was never implemented,… Read More »Why Mars Needs Diversity
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part fifteen, the finale of Diaries from Analog Mars, Jin and Crew 228 weather their last crisis at the MDRS and… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 15: The End of the Beginning
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part fourteen, Jin and Crew 228 end their last sol on Mars inspiring the next generation, contacting fellow Martians, and receiving… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 14: Goodnight Mars
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part thirteen, Jin breaks sim to get a COVID test and falls in love with the Colorado landscape again. But the… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 13: Rocky Mountain High
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part twelve, the psychological effects of isolation set in on Crew 228, and Jin and his team make a special call… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 12: The Three Quarter Problem
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part eleven, Jin and Crew 228 conduct an emergency EVA to save equipment from a coming storm, and Jin puts his… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 11: Russian Technology Loves Violence
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part ten, Jin and his crewmate, Inga set out on an EVA to explore the Martian landscape. “Recklessness comes with age… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 10: The Escarpment Expedition
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part Nine, Jin tries his hand at Martian cuisine and crew 228 discovers a water shortage. On Sol 6, I made… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 9: Marsbase 8
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part eight, Jin and his crew navigate the treacherous Martian landscape, and set out on a critical re-supply mission. “The best-laid… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 8: Would You Do THAT for Your Breakfast?
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part seven Jin and his team begin their research and encounter their first significant problems while on EVA. “Mars is… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 7: Realm of Giants
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part six, Jin carries out his first-ever EVA, and sets out into the simulated Martian landscape to collect geographical data. “.… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 6: One Giant Leap for Jin
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars. If this is your first visit, consider reading the previous entries here. In part five, we share in Jin’s discovery and exploration of a mindset that may be critical to survival on Mars.… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 5: Slow is Smooth
Welcome back to Diaries from Analog Mars! In part 4, Jin gets acquainted with his EVA suit, learns the value of good food in the confines of space, maintains the habitat, and begins to observe the unique social dynamics and… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 4: The Orange Bucket
In his third entry, describing the events of 27 September 2021, Jin walks us through crew 228’s final preparations before their entry into Mars simulation. As you will read, their first challenge came before they even reached the “Martian” surface!… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 3 – The Fire Alarm
In September of 2021, MSC Mars Engineering Developer Jin Sing Sia went on the journey of a lifetime. After numerous delays due to the global pandemic, he found his way into the desert in pursuit of a dream. As a… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars: Jin Sing Sia
Diaries from Analog Mars is a sequence of personal entries from Mars Society of Canada Director Jin Sia, who has deployed to the Utah desert to conduct analog space exploration activities as part of a select crew of engineers, biologists, journalists, and others.… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars, Part 2: Arrival
Diaries from Analog Mars will be presented as a sequence of personal entries from former Mars Society of Canada Director Jin Sia, who has deployed to the Utah desert to conduct analog space exploration activities as part of a select… Read More »Diaries from Analog Mars: Preparing for Launch
Header image: Artist’s impression of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docking with the International Space Station (image source: NASA/SpaceX.) In previous installments, we discussed the rocket equation, rocket propulsion, and how they govern the ability of a rocket to perform a… Read More »Rocket Physics, the Hard Way: Spacecraft Maneuvering and Control
Header image: Artist’s impression of an Apollo capsule re-entry (image source: NASA.) One of the most harrowing parts of a spacecraft’s journey is atmospheric entry. When it collides with the air at thousands of kilometres per hour, the gasses heat… Read More »Rocket Physics, the Hard Way: Re-entry and Hypersonic Flight
Header image: Computational fluid dynamics simulation of a NASA X-43A hypersonic aircraft (image source: NASA.) Recall the last time you watched a rocket launch. About a minute into ascent, you may have heard Launch Control call out “Max q!”. But… Read More »Rocket Physics, the Hard Way: Max q and Bernoulli’s Principle