NASA begins accepting applications for second 'Mars experiment'

According to a statement on NASA's website, the second of the one-year "Mars habitat" experiments, called the "Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA)," will begin next spring.

Applications have opened for a 4-person crew to participate in the second of three experiments to be conducted at NASA's Houston facilities in the U.S. state of Texas.

In the second "Mars habitat" experiment, which is planned to last one year, volunteers will face challenges such as resource limitations, equipment failure, communication delays, and other environmental stressors that they might encounter on a Mars mission.

QUALIFICATIONS SOUGHT FOR APPLICATION

During the experiment, the volunteer crew is expected to perform tasks such as spacewalks, robotic operations, habitat maintenance, exercise, and crop cultivation.

Volunteers will live in a shelter called "Mars Dune Alpha," which was produced using 3D printers.

Applicants for the second CHAPEA mission are expected to be healthy, non-smokers, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, between 30 and 55 years old, proficient in English for mission and crew communication, and meet the necessary requirements regarding education and experience.

NASA announced that participants in the experiment will be compensated and that applications will be accepted until April 2.

Meanwhile, the first of the three one-year experiments began on June 25, 2023.

News Source: AA