Looking for a change from your daily routine? Is life on Earth feeling a little overwhelming right now? Why not spend a year in a 3D-printed Mars habitat simulation with three strangers?
on friday, NASA announced We are currently accepting applications for the second of three ongoing missions. Analogue of crew health and performance (CHAPEA) Experiment. A group of four volunteers will stay at the facility for 12 months. mars dune alphaBased at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, the 1,700-square-foot residence is expected to experience “resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, and other environmental stressors.”
[Related: To create a small Mars colony, leave the jerks on Earth.]
When they’re not pretending to fight for survival in the harsh, barren Martian terrain, CHAPEA team members conduct virtual reality spacewalk simulations, perform routine maintenance on the Mars Dune Alpha structure itself, and operate robots. They also supervise the operation of the farm and grow their own crops. Maintain your body shape with regular exercise regimen.
But if the idea of pretending to live 300 million miles from your current home sounds appealing, well… chill your jets. NASA has made it clear that there are several requirements that applicants must meet before being considered for the job. For example, his master’s degree in a STEM field such as engineering, computer science, or mathematics. In that case, he must have two years of professional experience in the relevant field, or at least 1,000 hours in operating an aircraft. Also, only non-smokers between the ages of 30 and 55 will be considered, and military experience certainly sounds like a plus.
Oh, and you’ll also have to fill out NASA’s long questionnaire. This survey includes items such as: “Do you agree to have no communication with anyone other than the crew for an extended period of time (up to 1 year) without a delay of at least 20 minutes?” Are you willing to consume food for a year without adding anything to your menu?”
There’s certainly a lot to consider. But as difficult as it may be, simulations like CHAPEA are essential to NASA’s Artemis program to establish a permanent human presence on both the Moon and Mars. The truly brave and skilled among you have until April 2nd to fill in. official application. With CHAPEA’s first class currently about halfway through its one-year mission, this second batch of volunteers will not be required to serve until sometime in his 2025.