Re: Yes...
<Vladimir Pletser told us during an informal reunion that he had to work for the Mars Society during his vacation time from the ESA, where he works.
Neither NASA nor ESA want to be associated with the expeditions in Devon Island or Utah.
They certainly lack the scientific rigour. Pierre-Emmanuel sent an e-mail describing his feelings. He enjoys it very much and felt like an astronaut climbing down the ladder to step on an alien world.
He exerted quite a lot and got his helmet fogged up to a certain level and he had to bent foward all the time and look up so that he'd see anything.
It's an adult sophisticated Mars Camp of sorts.
They sure have fun, though.
Raoul