NASA has just begun a one-year manned Mars mission, although the mission’s base – Mars Dune Alpha – is not located on the red planet but at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Four ‘analog’ astronauts have entered the 3D printed base, which mimics living conditions that explorers can expect to endure when they actually reach Mars, and they won’t be coming out for over a year.

The purpose of the mission is to help NASA better design and plan for future Martian missions. The crew were chosen using the same physical and psychological criteria for actual astronaut candidates and they’ll be eating the same freeze-dried food.

The crew will participate in various activities, including crop growth, simulated spacewalks, habitat maintenance, and science experiments. Mission Control may also stage unexpected problems to see how the crew reacts.

The CHAPEA 1 mission began June 25 and ends July 7 2024.

References

NASA CHAPEA - Mission 1