Nasa volunteers will soon enter simulated Mars habitat for 378 days

A project that will see four volunteers spend 378 days in a simulated Mars habitat at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (Nasa) Johnson Space Centre is about to kick off, Digital Trends reports.

The mission is designed to help Nasa prepare for human exploration of Mars, and the team of volunteers comprise Alyssa Shannon, Ross Brockwell, Kelly Haston, and Nathan Jones.

The volunteers will enter the simulated habitat on Sunday, 25 June 2023, and leverage their experience in science, engineering, and health during their stay.

Their responsibilities will include growing crops, conducting research, performing “Marswalks”, and maintaining the habitat.

Team members will experience many of the difficulties one could expect from a human mission to Mars, including environmental stressors, equipment failures, limited resources, and confinement.

Nasa will also create communication delays to make the experience as realistic as possible.

The habitat measures 1,700 square feet (158m²) and comprises nine rooms, including bedrooms, a communal bathroom and toilet, and a common area.

Nasa has included a small area beside the habitat to simulate the planet’s surface for Marswalks.

Nasa built the habitat using 3D printers, which also forms a part of its research as similar construction methods may be able to be used on Mars.

This mission is the first of three one-year Mars simulations, which Nasa has dubbed Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA).

Now read: Titanic-destined sub with 5 aboard goes missing — rescue teams in race against time