clARA hAYES

🛰️ Clara hayes 

Science Lead – Astrobiology & Field Operations 

Clara Hayes serves as Science Lead aboard the Aurora mission, responsible for directing astrobiological research strategy, overseeing field sampling operations, and integrating multi-disciplinary scientific data into mission-critical decisions. At 22 years old, she holds one of the most senior scientific positions on the crew, selected for her exceptional capability in planetary science and high-pressure field environments. 

Raised in Sydney, Australia, Clara developed an early familiarity with planetary research through her father, Dr. Jackson Hayes, but rapidly established an independent academic and professional trajectory. She specialised in astrobiology, extremophile biology, and geochemical systems in Mars-analogue environments, with a strong focus on biosignature detection and environmental adaptation in low-resource ecosystems. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Planetary Science and Astrobiology, followed by a Master of Science in Astrobiology and Extreme Environments, where her research focused on microbial survival and biosignature preservation in basaltic and high-radiation environments. Her postgraduate work included extensive analogue field studies across Antarctic dry valleys, Australian desert stations, and subterranean cave systems. 

Clara was selected into an elite international space research fellowship program, where she trained across multiple analogue mission environments. Her performance in these simulations—particularly in autonomous field decision-making and scientific prioritisation under communication delays—was a key factor in her selection for the Aurora mission. 

Following her selection, she completed a Planetary Protection Protocol Certification (Category IV equivalent), ensuring strict compliance with contamination control standards required for extraterrestrial sampling and potential biosphere protection. 

 Her additional training includes remote science operations, geochemical field analysis, and autonomous systems integration, allowing her to coordinate between onboard laboratories, robotics-assisted sampling platforms, and surface teams in real time. 

Within the mission structure, Clara is responsible for determining scientific priorities during surface operations, validating sampling integrity, and ensuring all collected data meets planetary protection and research standards before analysis and transmission. 

Clara serves alongside her father, Dr. Jackson Hayes, within the same scientific division. While their relationship is personal, mission protocols require strict professional separation during operations, a dynamic that is carefully managed within the crew structure. She is widely regarded as highly composed and analytically precise, with a leadership style defined by clarity, calm decision-making, and strong systems-level thinking. Despite her age, she is trusted to make high-impact scientific judgments in environments where conditions can change rapidly and data is often incomplete. 

Clara Hayes is considered one of the mission’s most critical scientific leaders, valued not only for her technical expertise but for her ability to translate complex, multi-domain data into clear operational direction under extreme conditions.