On June 25, 2023, four volunteers participated in NASA’s Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) mission. This involved residing in a 3D printed simulated home for over a year to mimic the lifestyle of space explorers on Mars.
The latest update, as of early morning today (July 7, according to our time zone), marks the successful completion of the experiment. The four participants – Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, and Nathan Jones – have emerged from the habitat after spending a total of 378 days in isolation.
Located within NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, this analog home served as a testing ground for various Mars-like missions. From repairing equipment to conducting walks in simulated Martian terrain, and even experimenting with growing vegetables akin to “The Martian” movie, the team faced high-stress scenarios like delayed communication with Earth, resource scarcity, and coping with solitude.
While NASA plans to repeat the CHAPEA mission in the future, the timeline remains unspecified.
TLDR: CHAPEA’s 4-person crew completed a Mars simulation after 378 days in isolation, testing health and performance under Martian conditions. NASA is planning a future iteration of the mission.
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