If you've ever dreamed of living on Mars, now's your chance to make it happen. In its latest move, NASA is looking for brave volunteers to join a year-long simulated Mars mission, starting in the spring of 2025.
The mission, called CHAPEA 2 (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Program), is part of a three-part ground experiment designed to study the effects of living and working on the Red Planet. The goal is to help NASA prepare for sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.
NASA is looking for brave volunteers to join a year-long simulated Mars mission, starting in spring 2025. (Photo: NASA)
Selected crew volunteers will live in a 3D-printed Mars Dune Alpha habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The habitat is designed to simulate the harsh and isolated conditions of Mars, with limited resources, equipment failures, communications delays, and other challenges built into the simulation.
But if you think you’ll just eat, sleep, and repeat the same routine, that’s not going to happen here. Crew volunteers will have to perform a variety of tasks, such as simulating spacewalks, operating robots, maintaining habitats, exercising, and growing crops. They’ll also have to deal with the psychological and social aspects of living in a small group of people in space for long periods of time.
NASA is currently looking for candidates who are US citizens or permanent residents, non-smokers, 30-55 years old, and fluent in English. Applicants must also have a master's degree in a STEM ( Science , Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field, or equivalent professional experience. Of course, they must have a passion for adventure, and be willing to contribute to NASA's space exploration mission.
Applications are open until April 2, 2024, on the CHAPEA website. The assignment is paid, but the exact amount has not been disclosed. Candidates must undergo a rigorous screening process, including medical and psychological evaluations, interviews, and training.
NASA hopes the CHAPEA mission will provide valuable insights into the human factors and technology needed for future Mars exploration.
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