<p>Four scientists who spent a year in a Mars simulation recently came out of it and shared their experience of what it was like living on the red planet. They had to grow their own food to supplement a year's supply of freeze-dried meals while living inside the Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700 sq ft 3D-printed habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Anca Selariu, who was part of the crew, describes the experience of being on Mars as “absolutely exhilarating”.</p>

<p>Talking to the Guardian, she said,&nbsp;“Humans will be getting to Mars at some point in the future, and just the opportunity to participate in any way one can to help that happen, hopefully in our lifetimes, is beyond compare."</p>

<p>Selariu added that the day humans step foot on Mars, she will celebrate knowing that she was a part of it. "I’ll be celebrating when we see the first step on Mars, knowing I contributed.&nbsp;It was an incredible honour and absolutely exhilarating," she said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA plans to send humans to Mars by the end of the 2030s. Under the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (Chapea) mission, the Mars Dune Alpha provided the crew of four with the exact environment and challenges astronauts will ultimately face on Mars.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Selariu is a member of the US Naval Medical Research Unit and holds expertise in vaccines, gene therapy and infectious disease. Qualifications like these will help astronauts stay healthy and fit during their months-long journey to Mars.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-wants-to-release-biosignatures-of-life-from-icy-shells-of-europa-and-enceladus-743053">NASA wants to release biosignatures of life from icy shells of Europa and Enceladus&nbsp;</a></p>

<h2>The challenges of Chapea mission</h2>

<p>Selariu says that growing their own food and touching the green was "such a joy" as that is the one thing she missed most while being away from Earth. In fact, she recalled how just seeing a lettuce leaf while in isolation provoked feelings like homesickness and existential self-questioning.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasas-manned-mission-to-mars-around-the-corner-739024/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The crew was also tested to see their response during simulated emergencies and stressors. Equipment failures and resource limitations were two of the things that they worked to handle. Selariu said the study aimed to understand how will humans adjust to isolation and confinement on Mars.</p>

<p>Something else only witnessed in sci-fi-shows and films is the communication gap. The crew had to communicate with ground control keeping in mind that each message in or out was delayed 22 minutes, something that will happen while it journeys through space. Selariu said, "45 minutes for back and forth means you really have to think ahead and formulate the communication clearly and thoroughly."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The second Chapea mission is scheduled to start next year.&nbsp;</p>


Four scientists who spent a year in a Mars simulation recently came out of it and shared their experience of what it was like living on the red planet. They had to grow their own food to supplement a year's supply of freeze-dried meals while living inside the Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700 sq ft 3D-printed habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Four scientists who spent a year in a Mars simulation recently came out of it and shared their experience of what it was like living on the red planet. They had to grow their own food to supplement a year's supply of freeze-dried meals while living inside the Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700 sq ft 3D-printed habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Anca Selariu, who was part of the crew, describes the experience of being on Mars as “absolutely exhilarating”. Talking to the Guardian, she said, “Humans will be getting to Mars at some point in the future, and just the opportunity to participate in any way one can to help that happen, hopefully in our lifetimes, is beyond compare." Selariu added that the day humans step foot on Mars, she will celebrate knowing that she was a part of it. "I’ll be celebrating when we see the first step on Mars, knowing I contributed. It was an incredible honour and absolutely exhilarating," she said. NASA plans to send humans to Mars by the end of the 2030s. Under the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (Chapea) mission, the Mars Dune Alpha provided the crew of four with the exact environment and challenges astronauts will ultimately face on Mars. Selariu is a member of the US Naval Medical Research Unit and holds expertise in vaccines, gene therapy and infectious disease. Qualifications like these will help astronauts stay healthy and fit during their months-long journey to Mars. Also Read: NASA wants to release biosignatures of life from icy shells of Europa and Enceladus The challenges of Chapea mission Selariu says that growing their own food and touching the green was "such a joy" as that is the one thing she missed most while being away from Earth. In fact, she recalled how just seeing a lettuce leaf while in isolation provoked feelings like homesickness and existential self-questioning. × The crew was also tested to see their response during simulated emergencies and stressors. Equipment failures and resource limitations were two of the things that they worked to handle. Selariu said the study aimed to understand how will humans adjust to isolation and confinement on Mars. Something else only witnessed in sci-fi-shows and films is the communication gap. The crew had to communicate with ground control keeping in mind that each message in or out was delayed 22 minutes, something that will happen while it journeys through space. Selariu said, "45 minutes for back and forth means you really have to think ahead and formulate the communication clearly and thoroughly." The second Chapea mission is scheduled to start next year.

When a lettuce leaf made a scientist feel homesick inside the Mars simulation

<p>NASA scientists who spent over a year in a Mars simulation left the red-planet-like atmosphere on Sunday. As part of NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog program (CHAPEA), the crew spent over a year experiencing a Mars-like habitat. The CHAPEA mission aims to understand the effects of the Mars atmosphere on the health of humans and the other challenges that they might face. The mission comprised 1,700 square feet (157 square meters)&nbsp;of 3D-printed habitat space that was set up at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell and Nathan Jones entered the Mars simulation on June 25, 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It's actually just so wonderful to be able to say 'hello' to you all," Kelly Haston, mission commander said.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">LIVE NOW: The first ever CHAPEA crew will exit the ground-based Mars simulated habitat after 378 days. <a href="https://t.co/vFESM9DUyw">https://t.co/vFESM9DUyw</a></p>
— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Johnson/status/1809693957233717714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/watch-iss-captures-fireworks-in-space-shares-footage-of-mesmerising-northern-lights-738470">Watch: ISS captures fireworks in space, shares footage of mesmerising Northern Lights</a></p>

<h2>First Mars simulation experience</h2>

<p>In the first CHAPEA mission, the crew practised several scenarios that astronauts in future might witness on Mars. They worked to establish conditions for future Mars operations by conducting spacewalks within the space, dubbed “Marswalks". They also grew and harvested vegetables to add to their food provisions and maintain the habitat and their equipment.</p>

<p>The harder challenges included living in isolation and communication delays with Earth lasting up to 22 minutes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Why go to Mars? Because it's possible," &nbsp;Anca Selariu, the mission's science officer said. "Because space can unite and bring out the best in us. Because it's one defining step that 'Earthlings' will take to light the way into the next centuries."</p>

<p>Two more CHAPEA missions have been planned and the first mission focused on nutrition, Steve Koerner, deputy director of Johnson Space Center, said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"They've been separated from their families, placed on a carefully prescribed meal plan and undergone a lot of observation," Koerner said.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Future CHAPEA missions</strong></h2>

<p>The second CHAPEA mission will be conducted in 2025 and the third in 2026.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA describes the CHAPEA missions as being important, saying the "results of CHAPEA and the knowledge gained from the analog missions will allow NASA to characterise the risk of the planned exploration food system design in relation to crew health and performance and inform NASA standards, associated vehicle mass and volume requirements, and resource-risk trades for long-duration exploration missions."</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


NASA scientists who spent over a year in a Mars simulation left the red-planet-like atmosphere on Sunday. As part of NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog program (CHAPEA), the crew spent over a year experiencing a Mars-like habitat.

NASA scientists who spent over a year in a Mars simulation left the red-planet-like atmosphere on Sunday. As part of NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog program (CHAPEA), the crew spent over a year experiencing a Mars-like habitat. The CHAPEA mission aims to understand the effects of the Mars atmosphere on the health of humans and the other challenges that they might face. The mission comprised 1,700 square feet (157 square meters) of 3D-printed habitat space that was set up at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell and Nathan Jones entered the Mars simulation on June 25, 2023. "It's actually just so wonderful to be able to say 'hello' to you all," Kelly Haston, mission commander said. LIVE NOW: The first ever CHAPEA crew will exit the ground-based Mars simulated habitat after 378 days. https://t.co/vFESM9DUyw — NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) July 6, 2024 × Also Read: Watch: ISS captures fireworks in space, shares footage of mesmerising Northern Lights First Mars simulation experience In the first CHAPEA mission, the crew practised several scenarios that astronauts in future might witness on Mars. They worked to establish conditions for future Mars operations by conducting spacewalks within the space, dubbed “Marswalks". They also grew and harvested vegetables to add to their food provisions and maintain the habitat and their equipment. The harder challenges included living in isolation and communication delays with Earth lasting up to 22 minutes. "Why go to Mars? Because it's possible," Anca Selariu, the mission's science officer said. "Because space can unite and bring out the best in us. Because it's one defining step that 'Earthlings' will take to light the way into the next centuries." Two more CHAPEA missions have been planned and the first mission focused on nutrition, Steve Koerner, deputy director of Johnson Space Center, said. "They've been separated from their families, placed on a carefully prescribed meal plan and undergone a lot of observation," Koerner said. Future CHAPEA missions The second CHAPEA mission will be conducted in 2025 and the third in 2026. NASA describes the CHAPEA missions as being important, saying the "results of CHAPEA and the knowledge gained from the analog missions will allow NASA to characterise the risk of the planned exploration food system design in relation to crew health and performance and inform NASA standards, associated vehicle mass and volume requirements, and resource-risk trades for long-duration exploration missions."

NASA sent four people to a Mars simulation for a year. They are now back

chapea-mission

Chapea Mission, News on Chapea Mission, stories on Chapea Mission, articles on Chapea Mission, Chapea Mission stories at Wion, Chapea Mission news, Chapea Mission latest news

chapea mission

When a lettuce leaf made a scientist feel homesick inside the Mars simulation

NASA sent four people to a Mars simulation for a year. They are now back