The esteemed American space agency, NASA, is currently on a hunt for four highly driven individuals who are willing to partake in a year-long simulation that mimics the living conditions on Mars. This unique opportunity will allow participants to experience what life on the red planet could potentially be like.
Set to commence in the spring of 2025, this extraordinary experiment will house four volunteers within the confines of “Mars Dune Alpha”, a simulation site located in Houston. With a size spanning across 160 square meters, this location has been meticulously designed to represent a theoretical exploration station on Mars. The announcement of this fascinating project was made by NASA on Friday.
Mars Dune Alpha, the research station for this endeavor, is a cutting-edge, modular structure created using 3D printing technology. It is strategically situated at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, providing an authentic setting for the experiment.
The program is intricately designed to replicate the various challenges that astronauts could potentially face during a real mission to Mars. This includes dealing with limited resources, equipment malfunctions, delayed communication, and environmental stress factors. The selected crew will be tasked with an array of duties, such as undertaking simulated spacewalks, operating robotics, maintaining the habitat, exercising, and even cultivating crops.
This initiative is the second of its kind to be a part of NASA’s “CHAPEA” (Crew Health And Performance Exploration Analog) program. The primary objective of CHAPEA is to prepare for actual missions to Mars in the future.
The application window for this unique opportunity will remain open until April 2. The ideal candidates should possess a bachelor’s degree in the field of natural sciences, be aged between 30 and 55, and demonstrate healthy motivation. Furthermore, they should be non-smokers and either US citizens or permanent residents. Proficiency in English is also a requirement.
