NASA is looking for a volunteer crew to participate in a one-year mission that simulates what it would be like to live on the Red Planet.
Applications will be accepted through April 2. NASA said it is looking for “healthy, motivated U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are non-smokers, 30-55 years old, and proficient in English for effective communication between crewmates and mission control.”
While candidates don’t have to be astronauts, NASA is seeking volunteers with standard criteria for astronaut applicants. Desired qualifications include a master’s degree in a STEM field such as engineering, mathematics, or biological, physical or computer science with at least two years of professional STEM experience. Additionally, those with a minimum of one thousand hours piloting an aircraft will be considered, as well as candidates who have completed two years of work toward a doctoral program in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, completed a medical degree, or a test pilot program; people with four years of professional experience; applicants who have completed military officer training or applicants who have a bachelor of science degree in a STEM.
“Applicants should have a strong desire for unique, rewarding adventures and interest in contributing to NASA’s work to prepare for the first human journey to Mars,” said the agency.
Once selected, the four-person volunteer “Martian” crew will be part of the second of three ground-based missions called Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) beginning in spring 2025. During these missions, the crew lives inside Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat based at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
In this habitat, they’ll face challenges similar to those astronauts might face on an actual mission to Mars. They’ll have to deal with resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, habitat maintenance, growing crops and more.
However, the mission won’t just be about handling challenges. Participants will get to go on spacewalks, conduct robotic operations and exercise.
“Martian” participants in the first mission are already about halfway through the project.
“Over the past 200 days, the crew grew and harvested its first crops grown inside the 1,700-square-foot habitat, including tomatoes, peppers, and leafy greens, participated in a host of simulated ‘Marswalks’ with relevant time delay, tempo, and activities consistent with future Mars mission concepts, and took part in science investigations in biological and physical sciences,” said NASA.
These projects are intended to provide scientific data that will be used for future missions to Mars and the Moon. Right now, the Artemis campaign is leading to what NASA scientists hope will be a long-term presence on the Moon.
Since Mars is further away from the Sun than Earth, it is colder. For example, the high temperature expected there Saturday was minus 4 degrees and the low was minus 98 degrees. Its atmosphere is very thin.
Scientists believe that wasn’t always the case. They believe it is possible that Mars was once a warmer planet that could have harbored life. One of the objectives of missions to Mars is to learn more about the planet’s mysterious past.
Although NASA is advertising the upcoming CHAPEA project as volunteer-driven, compensation for participation is available.
“More information will be provided during the candidate screening process,” it read.