NASA's 1st year-long mock Mars mission wraps up in Houston

NASA successfully concludes its first year-long simulated Mars mission at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. The CHAPEA-1 ("Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog") mission commenced on June 25, 2003, with the sealing of four dedicated volunteers within a simulated Mars habitat. After an astounding 378 days, the volunteers emerged from the habitat on July 6, marking the completion of the mission and their return to Earth.

The volunteers for the CHAPEA-1 mission were Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, and Nathan Jones. Their abode for over a year, Mars Dune Alpha, a 3D-printed habitat spanning 1,700 square feet, aimed to replicate the isolated environment experienced by a future Mars outpost.

The invaluable experiences gained by the quartet during their time in Mars Dune Alpha will contribute to NASA's preparations for upcoming crewed missions to the Red Planet. These actual missions are expected to commence sometime between the late 2030s and early 2040s.

Throughout their stay, the volunteers engaged in immersive simulations of Mars mission operations, conducted "Marswalks," cultivated a range of vegetables to supplement their preserved food, maintained equipment and the habitat, and coped with associated challenges such as communication delays, limited resources, and isolation from Earth.

On July 6, NASA held a heartfelt "welcome home" ceremony at the Johnson Space Center to commemorate the quartet's return. During the event, Kelly Haston, the mission commander, expressed her gratitude for the unique experience, with all its trials, joys, sorrows, hard work, and camaraderie. Being part of this one-year Mars analogue venture enabled her to grow closer to both her fellow crew members and her loved ones back on Earth.

NASA looks forward to capitalizing on the knowledge and insights gained from the CHAPEA-1 mission as it underscores the agency's commitment to realizing crewed missions to Mars.