Four volunteers last week entered a 3D-printed simulated Mars habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston where they will remain for 378 days to help the space agency learn more about the challenges of a human mission to Mars.
The group of strangers inside the mock Martian base, dubbed “Mars Dune Alpha,” and were chosen from around 4,000 people who applied for the mission.
Commander Kelly Haston, flight engineer Ross Brockwell, medical Nathan Jones, and science officer Anca Selariu will live isolated in the 1,700 square foot habitat, facing challenges like resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays and other “environmental stressors.”
The group will not be allowed to leave until July 7, 2024.
