By: Elliott Chu

On June 25, four Americans, Nathan Jones, Kelly Haston, Ross Brockwell, and Anca Selariu, began their 378-day stay on a simulated version of Mars at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The mission, dubbed CHAPEA, or Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, is the first of three experiments planned by NASA. They are designed to test the mental and social challenges astronauts will face when they get to Mars.

The four volunteers were selected from a pool of over 4000 people interested in volunteering. They will spend the year inside a 1700-square-foot 3D-printed habitat, isolated from the outside world. The structure includes private crew quarters, a kitchen, and two bathrooms. It also has dedicated work, recreation, and fitness areas. Similar to a real mission, each participant has a specific job. Haston is the mission commander, Brockwell is the flight engineer, Jones will act as the medical officer, and Selariu will be the science officer.

The volunteers will perform various tasks during their mission including virtual reality spacewalks, science experiments, and vegetable gardening. These tasks will help NASA scientists determine if the isolated astronauts on Mars can handle the day-to-day challenges they are likely to face. To ensure their physical and mental well-being, the crew members will be constantly monitored with the help of cameras and body movement trackers.

This simulation will help scientists make the real-life journey to Mars as smooth and conflict-free as possible.