Houston, Texas – A British woman is among the four crew members currently participating in a year-long Mars simulation mission in Texas, designed to prepare humans for the challenges of interplanetary space travel. The mission, run by the Chapea program at NASA‘s Johnson space Center, began on September 26th and will continue through to September 2024.
The simulation aims to replicate the conditions astronauts will face on a journey to and from Mars, including isolation, limited resources, and communication delays. This research is critical as NASA develops technologies and strategies for crewed missions to the red planet, currently targeted for the 2030s. The program’s findings will directly inform mission planning, crew selection, and the growth of life support systems for long-duration spaceflight.
Crew member Marie, who has not disclosed her last name, described the challenges ahead, noting the potential difficulty of adjusting to a lack of natural sensations.”I’m a big nature girl. I spend a lot of time outside,” she said, adding the absence of “wind in my hair or the smell of grass coudl be challenging.”
The simulation also incorporates communication delays mirroring the lag astronauts would experience communicating with Earth from Mars. “There’s no live chat with mission control,” Marie explained, contrasting it with real-time communication available on the International Space Station.
Despite the rigorous conditions,Marie anticipates downtime and plans to pursue a personal challenge. “I’m not just going to learn how to do it.I want to beat a record,” she stated, referring to her goal of mastering and setting a record for solving a Rubik’s Cube.
Marie expressed her enthusiasm for the possibility of a future mission to Mars. “One hundred per cent I would take that seat on that ride if it were ever offered to me,” she said.”I think the whole multi-planetary species, it’s where we’re heading. And anything I can do to be a part of it – if it’s this [Chapea programme], if it’s something else – I’m just happy to be involved.”
Readers can learn more about NASA’s Mars exploration plans and the Chapea programme through the agency’s website and related reporting, such as Inside the 3D-printed box in Texas where humans will prepare for Mars. The mission operates under the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
