Karim Nahabet: Commander at LunAres and ARMASH

Karim Nahabet: Commander at LunAres and ARMASH

In this episode of The Airlock Module Podcast, Yuki sits down with engineer, analog astronaut, and Transcendental Meditation instructor Karim Nahabet to explore the intersection of human performance, consciousness, and space operations. From serving as Executive Officer and Commander at LunAres to leading a mission at the Armash Mars Research Station in Armenia, Karim shares real-world lessons from operating in confined, extreme environments, including sunlight deprivation, power limitations, communication delays, crew cohesion challenges, and on-the-fly problem solving. The conversation dives into stress resilience, sleep discipline, the gut–brain connection, and how meditation and breathwork may play a critical role in long-duration space missions. This episode blends engineering, psychology, and philosophy into a thoughtful discussion about what it truly takes to thrive on the path to Mars.   Karim’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karim-nahabet-37151653/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karim-nahabet-37151653/]

Adriana Talianova: Communications Officer at AATC and CAPCOM at Asclepios V

In this episode of The Airlock Module Podcast, Yuki Nishimura sits down with Adriana Talianova, a mechanical engineering student at Northwestern University and experienced analog mission operator, to explore what it really takes to live and work in simulated space environments.   From serving as CAPCOM and Flight Activities Officer in Asclepios Mission Control to improving habitat systems during her analog mission in Poland, Adriana shares behind-the-scenes insights into mission operations, timeline management, communication under pressure, and the human side of space simulation. Along the way, she tells the unforgettable story of the infamous “mousetronaut”, a habitat mouse that sparked a three-day engineering challenge involving 3D-printed traps.   This conversation dives into human performance, engineering for extreme environments, and how hands-on analog missions are shaping the next generation of space professionals.     Adriana Talianova LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-talianova/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-talianova/]   Adriana Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talianova_a/ [https://www.instagram.com/talianova_a/]   Analog Astronaut Training Center Website: https://www.astronaut.center/ [https://www.astronaut.center/]   Asclepios Website: https://asclepios.ch/ [https://asclepios.ch/]   The Airlock Module Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/AirlockModule [https://www.patreon.com/c/AirlockModule]   Airlock Module Email: airlockmodule@gmail.com [airlockmodule@gmail.com]

Jesse Forte: Commander and Artist In Residence at ICEES, HI-SEAS, LunAres, and Astroland

In this episode of The Airlock Module Podcast, Yuki Nishimura sits down with Jesse Forte: technologist, creative, analog astronaut, and founder of AstrOnyx. Jesse shares his unconventional path into analog space missions, from last-minute calls that sent him to Poland to leadership roles at HI-SEAS, Iceland extreme missions, and commanding a multinational crew at Astroland’s underground Mars analog. The conversation explores isolation, leadership under pressure, creativity inside the habitat, and how extreme environments reshape how we think about human performance. The episode also dives into how those experiences directly inspired AstrOnyx, a charcoal-activated toothpaste tablet designed for astronauts and built for Earth, blending space research, sustainability, and everyday health in a closed-loop world. Raw, energetic, and deeply human, this episode shows how analog missions don’t just prepare us for space, they change how we live on Earth.   Jesse’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessenforte/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessenforte/] AstrOnyx Website: https://astronyx.io/ [https://astronyx.io/] Lunares Website: https://lunares.space/ [https://lunares.space/] HI-SEAS Website: https://www.hi-seas.org/ [https://www.hi-seas.org/] The Airlock Module Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/AirlockModule [https://www.patreon.com/c/AirlockModule]

Dr. Laura Thomas: Chartered Psychologist Specializing in Human Performance at the Extremes

In this episode of The Airlock Module Podcast, Yuki Nishimura sits down with Dr. Laura Thomas, Chartered Psychologist, space psychology researcher, and extreme-environment explorer. Laura shares her journey from clinical psychology in the UK to analog space missions and polar expeditions, including her role as Crew Psychological Officer for Mars Medics 5 in the Mojave Desert, researcher on the B.I.G. North Pole ski expedition, and Health & Safety Officer at the Mars Society’s Devon Island analog habitat. Together, they explore what prolonged isolation, confinement, and cumulative stress do to the human mind, from subtle behavioral shifts to breaking points that affect even the most resilient individuals. The conversation also dives into Laura’s published paper on virtual reality countermeasures for long-duration spaceflight, examining how VR could support psychological wellbeing, deliver asynchronous therapy, and foster connection when Earth feels impossibly far away. Along the way, Laura recounts unforgettable field moments, including a tense encounter with a possible polar bear, and reflects on what analog missions can teach us about resilience, vulnerability, and human adaptability both in space and here on Earth.   Laura’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-thomas-space-psychology/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-thomas-space-psychology/] MMAARS CREW 2301- MARS MEDICS V: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crew2301marsmedicsv/ [https://www.facebook.com/groups/crew2301marsmedicsv/] B.I.G. Before It’s Gone North Pole Expedition: https://beforeitsgone.org.uk/the-expedition [https://beforeitsgone.org.uk/the-expedition] FMARS Crew 17: https://fmars.marssociety.org/meet-the-crew-2/ [https://fmars.marssociety.org/meet-the-crew-2/] World’s Biggest Analog: https://www.worldsbiggestanalog.com/ [https://www.worldsbiggestanalog.com/] Laura Thomas’ VR Paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/virtual-reality/articles/10.3389/frvir.2023.1180165/full [https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/virtual-reality/articles/10.3389/frvir.2023.1180165/full]

Marta Rossi: Commander at LunAres M7

What happens when you put an architect in charge of a lunar habitat, then lock the doors for two weeks? In this episode of The Airlock Module Podcast, host Yuki Nishimura sits down with Marta Rossi, a PhD student in architecture specializing in space architecture at Politecnico di Torino and mission commander of the LunAres M7 analog mission in Poland. Marta shares how a simple master’s thesis decision turned into a lifelong path at the intersection of architecture and space, and why she describes architecture as “an opening in the possible.” From inside a bunker-turned-lunar station, Marta led a four-person crew through 14 days of full isolation while running two research projects: one tracking spatial behavior and crew movement in confined environments, and another using virtual reality tools to bring analog astronauts directly into the lunar habitat design loop. She walks us through the layout of LunAres M7, from the towering atrium that feels like “a breath of fresh air” to the daily rhythms of med checks, EVAs, shared meals, surveys, and pancakes with freeze-dried fruit. We also explore: * How space architecture can help humans not just work, but live and thrive off-world * Why layout, flow, and dedicated leisure space matter for mental health in isolation * The tension between mass, safety, cost, and livability in future Moon and Mars habitats * Who should be designing space habitats, and why the answer lies in collaboration, not a single discipline * Marta’s honest take on the challenges and deep personal growth that come with analog missions If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to live inside your own research, or you’re on the fence about applying for an analog mission, this conversation might be the nudge that sends you through the airlock.   Marta’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-rossi-414994170/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marta-rossi-414994170/] Lunares Website: https://lunares.space/ [https://lunares.space/]