Applications are open for next year's mock NASA Mars mission, which simulates the challenges a crew might face during future expeditions to the Red Planet.
The ground mission was called Young man (Analog for Exploring Crew Health and Performance), consists of four volunteer crew members who live and work within a 1,700-square-foot (158 m2) 3D-printed insulated habitat. Located at NASA Johnson Space Center In Houston, the Mars Dune Alpha habitat includes an adjacent 1,200-square-foot (111 m) space used to simulate… Spacewalk.
“As NASA works to establish a long-term presence for scientific discovery and exploration on the Moon through… Artemis “The CHAPEA campaign provides important scientific data to validate systems and develop solutions for future missions to the Red Planet,” NASA officials said in a press release. a permit.
Related: A tour of the imaginary habitat of Mars, where 4 NASA astronauts will spend the next year (video)
the CHAPEA's first crew They are more than halfway through their year-long mission, which began on June 25, 2023 and is scheduled to end on July 6, 2024. Now, NASA is looking for applicants for the CHAPEA 2 mission, which is expected to launch in the spring of 2025. – Applications are open to the public Until April 2, 2024.
“NASA is looking for healthy, motivated U.S. citizens or permanent residents, non-smokers, between the ages of 30 and 55, who are proficient in the English language for effective communication among crewmates and mission control,” officials said in a statement issued by the space agency. “Applicants must have a strong desire for unique and rewarding adventures and an interest in contributing to NASA’s work to prepare for the first human journey to Earth.” Mars“.
Over the One year assignmentThe four-person crew will perform tasks ranging from robotic operations, habitat maintenance, crop growth, spacewalk simulations and exercises. The Mars Dune Alpha habitat is designed to replicate what future missions to Mars might look like, including challenges such as limited resources, equipment failure, communications delays and other environmental pressures.
A walk through Mars Dune Alpha reveals a row of crew quarters in the hallway opposite the toilets and showers area. At its end, this hall turns into an area dedicated to small-scale product production, which is located next to an open kitchen and a recreational area with table lounge furniture.
An entrance through the common space leads to a work area with a desk and equipment shelving. Rooms on either side contain fitness and laundry machines, robot control stations, and a 3D printer. The other entrance into the open work area features a small medical bay located across from the habitat's primary airlock.
Applicants are required to have a college degree in a medical or STEM field, as well as professional STEM experience, military training, or flight testing. Full details of the application process and applicant requirements can be found here Connected.
CHAPEA 2 is the second of three missions planned within the Mars Dune Alpha habitat. Research obtained through these simulated missions will help NASA support crew health and performance while living on Mars during future long-duration exploration missions.
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