Living on Mars may not be in the distant future any longer.
NASA's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, or CHAPEA, is a series of analog missions that will simulate one-year stays on the Martian surface. Find out if you have what it takes to apply for the mission.
NASA Mars Simulation Mission
NASA explained that each mission consists of four crew members living on the Red Planet's Dune Alpha, a unique 3D printed 1,700 square-foot habitat. The analog mission will include simulated spacewalks and provide data on a variety of factors like physical and behavioral health and performance.
Crew on this mission can enjoy the amenities the 3D printed habitat has to offer, such as: private crew quarters, a kitchen, and dedicated areas for recreation, medical, fitness, work and crop growth activities. A technical work area is also included, as well as two bathrooms.
The goal of this mission is to obtain the most accurate data during the analog mission. To do this, the habitat will be set up to be as Mars-realistic as feasible with environmental stressors such as resource limitations, isolation, equipment failure, and significant workloads included in the simulation.
Besides simulated spacewalks, the crew must perform other activities like crop growth, meal preparation and consumption, communications, exercise, hygiene activities, maintenance work, science work, personal time and sleep. All of this will be monitored to get the best picture of what living on Mars would be like.
Ever wondered what it would be like to live and work in deep space? 👩🚀
— NASA Artemis (@NASAArtemis) August 6, 2021
Here’s your chance! @NASA is seeking participants for a 1-year Mars surface mission simulation. This unique opportunity will help us prepare to send astronauts to the Red Planet: https://t.co/0OCV75U9rJ pic.twitter.com/oZVWxl99G8
How to Apply for NASA CHAPEA and Live in the 3D-Printed Martian Home
NASA has begun accepting applications for CHAPEA since August 6. Interested applicants can send in their application until September 17, 2021 by 5pm CST.
The one-year analog mission is scheduled to begin by Fall of 2022.
Crew application and selection will follow the standard NASA criteria for Astronaut Candidate applicants. This includes needing to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident that is within the ages of 30 to 55.
The applicant must possess a master's degree in a STEM field from an accredited institution. If the applicant does not have a master's degree but does have two years of work towards a doctoral program in a related STEM field, the application is still accepted.
If the applicant has obtained a completed Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree or completed or is in the process of completing a nationally recognized test pilot school program by June 2021, those are also accepted by NASA.
Applicants must also have at least two years of related professional experience in a STEM field. If not, they must at least have 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time on a jet aircraft, NASA said. The applicant must also be able to pass the NASA long-duration flight astronaut physical examination.
Finalists of the application process will have to undergo evaluation, testing, and screening to determine their physical and mental suitability for the long-duration isolation mission. Candidates who participate in the finalists' protocol are not guaranteed selection.
The selection process may take up to 13 months, NASA said.
If you are interested in applying, you can learn more by visiting the CHAPEA Mission 1 website: https://external.jsc.nasa.gov/chapea/.
