· ACMA · projects · 9 min read
Meet the crew of Propelling Dreams – Con Cora: Analog Mission
Eight Colombian women will make up the official crew of the Analog Mission from the Propelling Dreams project by Fundación Con Cora and ACMA, in partnership with Fundación Cydonia.
🌐 This is an automatic translation of the original post in Spanish.
After a rigorous selection process, we are proud to introduce the official crew of the Analog Mission at HAdEES-C for the Propelling Dreams – Con Cora program. Eight Colombian women will spend two weeks in full immersion at Fundación Cydonia’s analog habitat in Tocancipá, Cundinamarca, where they will carry out research projects under simulated conditions of a Mars mission.
Propelling Dreams (Propulsando Sueños) is an ACMA initiative supported mainly by Fundación Con Cora and by Fundación Cydonia, which, in addition to operating the habitat, added an extra spot to the crew.
About HAdEES-C
The Simulated Space Exploration Analog Habitat in Colombia is the facility where the mission will take place:
- Location: Parque Jaime Duque, Tocancipá, Cundinamarca.
- Duration: two weeks of full immersion per crew.
- Capacity: 5 to 8 crew members per mission.
- Isolation: logistical, dietary, and communication restrictions.
Video tour of the HAdEES-C habitat.
The road to this point
The call went through four stages: pre-selection based on minimum requirements, evaluation by 9 expert judges, interviews conducted by the School of Psychology at UPTC, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, and its research team, and finally technical and safety approval from Fundación Cydonia as the habitat operator.
Official crew
Commander — Daniela Suárez Cárdenas
"I've been preparing for the aerospace industry since I was a child, when I saw the sky as an opportunity for curiosity and perseverance."
A chemical engineer and master’s student in Materials, with experience leading multidisciplinary teams, operations management, and continuous improvement at an international level. She has been preparing for the aerospace industry since childhood, when she saw the sky as an opportunity for curiosity and perseverance. As Commander, she will lead the crew, make operational decisions, and ensure compliance with the mission’s protocols and objectives.
Executive Officer — Karen Julieth Bohórquez Bautista
"Through dreams, curiosity, and science, humanity has advanced in understanding the universe—this opportunity marks one more step on that path. Space has no limits, and neither do our convictions."
An electrical engineer with experience in grid connection studies for solar projects, software testing, and commercial execution and management of projects in the electricity sector. Passionate about science, space, and astronomy since childhood. She will coordinate the crew’s daily activities and support the Commander in decision-making and execution of the mission schedule.
Engineering Officer — Maria Jose Medina Alean
"I'm defined by my discipline, resilience, leadership, and commitment to inspiring more girls and women to build a future in science and engineering."
A fifth-semester Aeronautical Engineering student at Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana and a scholarship recipient of the Bachilleres Ecopetrol Mario Galán Gómez program. She has taken part in STEM initiatives such as Ella Es Astronauta, with a special interest in human factors and aerospace engineering. She will oversee the operation, maintenance, and monitoring of the habitat’s technical and structural systems throughout the mission.
Experiment / Payload Coordinator — Luisa Fernanda Pachón Garzón
"There's always something new to learn from others."
In the final stretch of her Physics degree at UPTC, in Boyacá, with a focus on materials physics and the development of the aerospace sector in Colombia. She will manage and track the research projects and payload throughout the mission.
Science Officer — Giseth Daniela Campos Puerta
"I firmly believe curiosity is the first step to discovering new worlds and understanding our place in the universe."
Health and Safety Officer — Katherine Rodríguez Patiño
"The limits of the human body exist to be understood before they can be overcome. And although curiosity takes us to space, only science will allow us to remain there."
A dietitian-nutritionist and dual-degree Medicine student at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, with a research focus on molecular biology and aerospace medicine. She has interned at Aix-Marseille University (France) and is a member of the Research Group on Human Performance Physiology in Aerospace. She will look after the crew’s physical and psychological well-being and apply safety and emergency response protocols.
Botany Officer — Lina Fernanda Melo López
"Integrating scientific knowledge with community wisdom is essential to generating innovative and sustainable solutions."
An Agronomy student at UNAD, an Indigenous woman of the Cubeo people, passionate about rural development, science, and innovation, with a background working alongside rural and Indigenous communities. She will lead the experiments and protocols related to the cultivation and behavior of plant species under simulated isolation conditions.
Mission Specialist in Biology — Katheleen Nifal Guevara Sánchez
"Understanding the limits of life on Earth is also a way of moving closer to discovering its possible existence on other worlds."
A biologist, science teacher, illustrator, science communicator, and diver, with a research background in microalgae and a deep interest in marine biology and space exploration. She will lead and oversee the biological research protocols and life science experiments throughout the mission.
Backup crew
Three more women complete the team as backup crew members, playing an active role supporting the mission from “the ground,” strengthening the research projects and ready to join the mission in the habitat if needed:
Ivette Alejandra Salgado Ruiz
"I enjoy teamwork and the challenges that drive scientific and technological development."
A Marine Biology student with an interest in astrobiology and space exploration. She previously took part in the Con Cora - STEM scholarships, and now joins this crew after once again coming through the selection process open to all applicants.
Lisdey Fabiana Peña Bohórquez
"I'm passionate about understanding complex systems and finding solutions with purpose. Every new challenge is an opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute. "
An electronics engineer from Universidad del Valle, committed to science, innovation, and continuous learning.
Jerlid Julieth Daza Casso
"Science and education are tools capable of transforming lives and building a better future."
An Electronic Engineering student at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, with a background in science and technology programs and competitions.
Strategic partners
This achievement is possible thanks to joint work with:
Fundación Con Cora — the heart of this season of Propelling Dreams. Thanks to their genuine commitment to Colombian women, this dream is real: every scholarship, every spot, and every opportunity in this program exists because they believed first. Their support is the engine that drives more women to dream big and go further.
Fundación Cydonia — operates the HAdEES-C analog habitat in Tocancipá, Cundinamarca, and added an extra spot in this Season 4 for the Propelling Dreams - Con Cora crew. It is the organization with the most established track record in Colombia in analog missions: since 2018 it has sent Colombian crews to the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, and since 2022 it has operated HAdEES-C, with several seasons and missions already successfully completed in the country.
UPTC, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia · School of Psychology — supports the crew before, during, and after the mission: in addition to the interviews during the selection process, it works to build trust and cohesion among the crew members.
Evaluators and volunteers — a committee of 9 expert judges, external and impartial to ACMA’s Board of Directors, evaluated all candidates: Dr. Santiago Vargas, Dr. Anne W. Johnson, Adriana Ariza, Alejandra Amaya, Dr. Javier Suarez, Yael Natalia Méndez, Oscar Ojeda, Dr. Natalia Agudelo, and Lisa Carrillo. Thanks also to the volunteers who support the logistics and communications of the whole process.
Congratulations to the entire crew! Get ready for the mission.
Follow us on our social media to keep up with every step of this mission, and if you’d like to help us bring more women to the next season, consider partnering with us or donating to ACMA.
ACMA on Instagram · Fundación Con Cora on Instagram · Fundación Cydonia on Instagram