NASA Seeks ‘Martians’: Volunteers for Year-long Mars Simulation

NASA is on the lookout for individuals willing to experience life on Mars through a simulated mission within a controlled environment on Earth. This initiative is a part of NASA’s effort to prepare for future Martian exploration under the CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) program. The second in a series of three terrestrial missions, this particular simulation is scheduled to kick off in spring 2025 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Participants will spend a year in a 1,700-square-foot habitat, Mars Dune Alpha, which has been 3D printed to mimic the living conditions on Mars. This habitat will feature everything from living quarters, a workspace, and a medical station to leisure areas and food cultivation zones. Volunteers will face simulated challenges akin to those on a real Mars mission, including restricted resources, equipment malfunctions, delayed communications, and other environmental stressors.

NASA is in search of healthy, motivated U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 30 to 55, who are non-smokers and fluent in English, to participate in this demanding yet rewarding venture. Ideal candidates are those with a keen sense of adventure and a willingness to contribute to NASA’s mission of sending humans to Mars. They must also meet NASA’s astronaut candidate criteria.

Applications are open until April 2, with selected participants receiving compensation for their involvement in the mission. The goal of the CHAPEA missions is to gather essential data to refine systems and develop solutions for the real challenges of future manned missions to Mars, utilizing insights from these simulations to enhance crew health and performance on actual space expeditions.