[Reading Science] "Like a Movie"... Starting '1 Year Living' on Mars

NASA to Begin Operations at Johnson Space Center from July
Four Civilians to Experience Activities and Environment Similar to Mars Explorers
"Investigating the Impact of Mars Environment on Humans"

"Like the movie Martian, we are starting a one-year Mars living experience."

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced on the 25th (local time) that it will conduct a 'simulation experience' ahead of the manned Mars exploration and colonization planned for the 2030s. NASA revealed that four selected candidates will move into the simulated Mars habitat (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog·CHPEA) located at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and live there for one year starting this July.

Mars analog habitat (CHAPEA) established by NASA at the Johnson Space Center.

This facility was created using 3D printing to closely resemble the actual environment of Mars. It mainly consists of sandbox terrain made of sand and rocks, along with a temporary base (habitat). The total area is about 1,200 square feet (approximately 111.5㎡). Here, four volunteers, who are not NASA astronauts, will live for one year and carry out various activities and scientific experiments necessary for humans living on Mars. Essential activities include cleaning and maintenance of the residence, waste management, personal hygiene, exercise for health maintenance, and crop cultivation. They will also experience Mars walks?virtual spacewalks and walking outside the habitat?using virtual reality technology, as well as operating exploration robots.

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Specifically, they will conduct geological research activities such as exploring and classifying rocks on the Martian surface, communicating characteristics to fellow crew members inside the base to create a database, taking photographs, collecting samples, and storing them in the base. Simulated construction activities will also be carried out to test the feasibility of long-term base establishment. Considering Mars' dusty environment with frequent dust storms, virtual reality experiences include removing dust to optimize solar panel functions and setting up various experimental tools.

Additionally, training will be conducted to remotely operate robots that are expected to accompany humans during Mars exploration. This includes rovers like Perseverance currently on Mars and small unmanned helicopters like Ingenuity. Participants will remotely control rovers and drones within the habitat to investigate distant areas, collect and analyze rock samples, and document geological information.

Reference photo. Source=NASA website

Raina MacLeod, a researcher at NASA's Johnson Space Center, said, "We will examine how realistic Mars conditions and lifestyles affect the work performance and health of manned explorers. Operating exploration robots will be a very enjoyable experience for participants undergoing long-term continuous habitation experiments, but it will also be a very realistic challenge for astronauts who will directly explore Mars in the future."

NASA plans to open this simulated Mars habitat to the media on the 11th of next month. Two more habitation experiments will be conducted in the future. Although the participants of this experiment have not yet been disclosed, it is known that they will begin pre-training at the Johnson Space Center around April to May before starting this mission.