NASA is on the lookout for volunteers willing to participate in an isolation experiment mirroring the solitude of Mars exploration. Selected candidates will partake in the agency’s upcoming simulated one-year Mars surface mission, aimed at gathering crucial data for future human expeditions to the red planet.
This marks the second installment of NASA’s year-long Mars simulation, following the initiation of the first mission in June 2023, with current participants still in isolation for a few more months. Scheduled for a spring 2025 launch, the second of three planned ground-based missions, dubbed CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog), will commence.
During these missions, a four-person crew will collaborate and reside within a 3D-printed, 1,700-square-foot base at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston. The base, known as Mars Dune Alpha, is meticulously designed to replicate the challenges anticipated on the Martian surface, including resource scarcity, equipment malfunctions, communication lags, and other stressful scenarios.
Applications for the second CHAPEA mission are open until April 2, targeting healthy, non-smoking US citizens aged 30 to 55 proficient in English. Prospective volunteers must possess a master’s degree in a STEM field such as engineering, mathematics, biological, physical, or computer science, along with at least two years of professional STEM experience or a minimum of 1,000 hours of aircraft piloting experience. Enthusiastic individuals with a penchant for unique adventures and a dedication to advancing NASA’s mission to prepare for humanity’s inaugural journey to Mars are encouraged to apply.
