Living on Mars? NASA is looking for volunteers for a one-year mission simulation

For those who are passionate about extreme challenges (perhaps set on an alien world), have a STEM background and reside in the United States, the news we want to report today could be very interesting. NASA has put out a call for four volunteers who will participate in the second one-year simulation mission to Mars, called… Analog to Crew Health and Performance Exploration (CHAPEA 2).

What does the task consist of? The four selected astronauts will live for a full year (starting in the spring of 2025) inside a 157-square-meter, fully 3D-printed habitat located at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The habitat is called Mars Dune AlphaIt is designed to simulate living conditions on Mars, with a hostile environment and limited resources. During the long stay in the place, volunteers will have to carry out various activities, including habitat maintenanceGrowing food and simulating a “space walk” in a designated 111 square meter sand area Next to all habitats

As noted above, to apply, you must be a US citizen between the ages of 30 and 55 and meet a series of not-quite-essential requirements. You must first have good English proficiency, a master's degree in a STEM field, at least two years of professional experience and at least 1,000 hours of flying aircraft or two years of work toward a doctorate. In some cases, specific professional experiences can also allow those without a master's degree to apply. Applications are open until April 2, 2024 on the CHAPEA website, but compensation for participants has not been announced.

This is not new in the strict sense of the word, in fact, CHAPEA 2 is the second of the three missions planned by NASA for the program of the same name: the first started on June 25, 2023 and will end in a few months.

Speaking of the Martian environment and the difficulties it presents, did you know that after three years of honorable service, the Ingenuity helicopter permanently stopped flying? A problem with the rotors and broken propellers brought a long and productive testing period to an end once and for all.