by Claire O'Neill

This project came from the experience that we all have whilst looking at the stars during our childhood, when we suddenly realize the infinity of the universe and that we are but a tiny part of it.

Yesterday's blog feature was about the reality of space travel. But Vincent Fournier's "Space Project" series is inspired by science fiction — by the classic, whimsical stories of Jules Verne, in particular. His photos appear to have been taken in a desolate, futuristic wasteland. In other words: it looks like Mars.

  • A student at the Mars Desert Research Station, in Hanksville, Utah. Stations like these, sponsored by the Mars Society, exist to teach researchers how to live and work on another planet.
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    A student at the Mars Desert Research Station, in Hanksville, Utah. Stations like these, sponsored by the Mars Society, exist to teach researchers how to live and work on another planet.
  • The Mars simulation station in the San Rafael Swell of Utah is one of four stations planned by the Mars Society.
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    The Mars simulation station in the San Rafael Swell of Utah is one of four stations planned by the Mars Society.
  • The research crews rotate every few weeks. They explore the terrain in space suits to get a feel for the Martian terrain.
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    The research crews rotate every few weeks. They explore the terrain in space suits to get a feel for the Martian terrain.
  • The Utah research campus consists of three buildings: the habitat, a two story cylinder where researchers live, the Greenhab, used for growing plants, and the observatory.
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    The Utah research campus consists of three buildings: the habitat, a two story cylinder where researchers live, the Greenhab, used for growing plants, and the observatory.
  • Students collect rocks similar to those found on Mars.
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    Students collect rocks similar to those found on Mars.
  • The Plateau de Bure Interferometer is in the French Alps.
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    The Plateau de Bure Interferometer is in the French Alps.
  • The observatory on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii hosts one of the world's largest astronomical observatories, with telescopes operated by eleven different countries.
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    The observatory on the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii hosts one of the world's largest astronomical observatories, with telescopes operated by eleven different countries.
  • The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (or ALMA) observatory is in Atacama, Chile.
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    The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (or ALMA) observatory is in Atacama, Chile.
  • Research in robotic astrobiology is conducted by NASA in Moon Valley in the Atacama Desert, Chile.
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    Research in robotic astrobiology is conducted by NASA in Moon Valley in the Atacama Desert, Chile.
  • Research housing at the observatory in Caussols, France.
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    Research housing at the observatory in Caussols, France.
  • Collecting rocks similar to those found on Mars.
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    Collecting rocks similar to those found on Mars.
  • Mars Desert Research Station, Hanksville, Utah.
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    Mars Desert Research Station, Hanksville, Utah.

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In one sense, it's a photo documentary on some of the world's leading space research stations. Some photos were taken at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah, where students and researchers actually wear space suits to simulate what it's like to be on Mars. Others were taken near observatories in the Atacama Desert in Chile, in the French Alps and on the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea.

But without that context, these photos appear otherworldly, which makes it science fiction, too. The fact that Utah can so closely resemble Mars means that there's still room for exploration in our own backyard. Fournier begs the viewer to be curious, to dream, to confound what's imaginary and what's real. Take a look at some of the images from Utah and Chile — or maybe Mars — here. But also be sure to check out the whole series.

"Space Project" will be showing at New York's Clic Gallery in early October. Photos courtesy Vincent Fournier, found on Multimedia Muse.

Also: Did you know Mars has a flag?

By Claire O'Neill

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