Volunteers enter Nasa's 3D-printed Mars simulation for CHAPEA 1

If you were asked to spend a whole year living in a simulated Mars habitat, would you agree to do it? As a progressive step towards exploring the Red Planet, four volunteers have just entered a simulated Mars habitat, where they’ll live for the next year.

The exercise is part of Nasa's efforts to get ready for its first crewed mission to the red planet's surface, which could happen in the late 2030s.

Following a ceremony at the Nasa Johnson Space Centre in Texas on Sunday evening, Alyssa Shannon, Ross Brockwell, Kelly Haston, and Nathan Jones entered the building and closed the door behind them.

The four volunteers will be monitored remotely by a group of Nasa researchers for the duration of their 378-day stay, as announced by Nasa Johnson in a tweet.

"CHAPEA's 4-person crew just entered their home for the next year," Nasa Johnson said in the tweet. "They're simulating a Mars mission to help assess health and performance in relation to Mars resource limitations in isolation and confinement. The door is officially closed, and the mission has begun. Go Crew 1!"

In the words of the volunteers

While speaking to the press right before the beginning of his year-long mission, Haston said: "The crew has worked so hard this month to get ready for this mission. It's been very special to be a part of such a tremendous group of scientists and specialists from a diverse set of backgrounds, working together to bring CHAPEA 1, the first of three missions, to reality."

Meanwhile, Shannon shared that she was honoured to be a part of the crew that will make the mission to Mars possible and that she wanted to dedicate their stay "to the people who will step on actual Martian soil."

According to Nasa, the volunteers will face many of the difficulties associated with a human mission to Mars, such as confinement, resource constraints, equipment breakdowns, and other environmental stressors.

Jones, who was visibly moved, expressed gratitude to all of the people who had contributed to the success of CHAPEA 1, and Brockwell expressed his excitement and honour at being a part of the endeavour.

What is CHAPEA Mission 1?

According to the Nasa website, CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analogue) Mission 1 is the first of three simulated Mars missions to evaluate human health and performance in isolation and confinement. 

At Nasa's Johnson Space Centre, the crew will work and live in a replica Mars habitat while engaging in scientific experiments and activities like crop growth.

The same physical and psychological examinations that actual astronauts must pass in order to be eligible for participation were administered to the volunteers. Additionally, they had to hold a degree in at least one of the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math).

They will be staying in a 1700-square-foot facility with about nine rooms total, including private bedrooms, a shared bathroom and toilet, and a common area.

Simultaneously, the health of the participants will be continuously tracked during their time inside to assist mission planners in comprehending how a real crew might manage various aspects of a protracted mission to Mars.

When Nasa eventually decides to build a Mars base, the experience will also help the organisation improve its design.

For maximum realism, the four volunteers will encounter things like communication lags of up to 20 minutes brought on by the great separation between Earth and the red planet.

The participants will occupy their time inside the facility with tasks like scientific investigation, habitat upkeep, crop cultivation, and so-called "Marswalks" on a covered area of land modelled after the Martian surface.

During their 12-month stay, if any of the participants find the conditions intolerable, they will be permitted to leave the facility with a backup member taking their place.