A year-long experiment simulating life on Mars, involving four volunteers, has been successfully concluded, according to the US space agency NASA.
Launched in June 2023, the inaugural mission was part of the ‘Chapea’ programme, intended to better prepare for future expeditions to the Red Planet.
The participants, two men and two women, lived for 378 days within the Mars Dune Alpha, a 160-square metre habitat designed to recreate Martian conditions, and housed at NASA’s research centre in Houston, Texas, the space agency said on Saturday.
Featuring a vertical farm for lettuce cultivation, a medical procedure room, a relaxation area and workstations, this habitation was constructed using 3D printing. Through an airlock, the residents were able to access a Martian-like outdoor environment, complete with a weather station, a brick production device, a small greenhouse and a treadmill for simulated low-gravity walks.
The participants were prohibited from leaving the simulator. Communication with friends and family was permitted, but conducted in ‘Martian time,’ meaning a simple text message to the outside world typically took 22 minutes to send.
Their performance and cognitive abilities were closely monitored throughout the experiment. Julie Kramer, from NASA, said this approach would yield important insights into complex systems and make the journey to and from Mars much safer.
Volunteer Ross Brockwell described his participation in the experiment as “extraordinary.” As he left the Mars Dune Alpha, he expressed the hope that the programme would bring humanity “one step closer to the reality of human presence on Mars.”
NASA plans to conduct further Chapea missions in 2025 and 2027.
