New Mexico students build Mars colony Published May 14, 2012 By 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. -- More than 1,100 students from 37 schools throughout New Mexico constructed inflatable shelters that they linked together to form a simulated Mars colony May 4 at the Albuquerque Convention Center. The event, part of Air Force Research Laboratory La Luz Academy, is in its 19th year. Students applied three months of study about the "red" planet. Presentations included demonstrations by five- to seven-person student teams on life support systems they developed for Mars. Support systems include air and water supply, waste management, temperature control, food production, communications, transportation and recreation. The project is based on the Challenger Center's "Marsville" Program, designed as a learning experience to teach students about teamwork, problem solving, and to enhance the study of math, science and engineering. Students are exposed to technological and environmental space exploration issues. The event also provided students with positive role models from the fields of science and technology. The students constructed their habitats during the five-hour event, underwent a "uniform" inspection, briefed each other on the life support systems they built and complete a mission log. They also weighed to their lunches, because every cargo pound must be accounted for as though they were actually rocketing to Mars.