Four Researchers to Live in Simulated Mars Outpost for a Year on Earth

NASA is set to begin its first long-duration analog mission called the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) in June, where four crewmembers will live in a 1,700-square-foot habitat for a year to simulate a Mars surface mission. The crew will participate in activities that astronauts on Mars would do, from cooking to exercise to cleaning, as well as maintenance work on the habitat, crop growth, and scientific research. The simulation will allow NASA to collect cognitive and physical performance data to give more insight into the potential impacts of long-duration missions to Mars on crew health and performance.