NASA Creates Simulated Martian Environment for Human Mission Preparation

not long ago The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has displayed a simulated Martian environment where four volunteers will spend a year there to help prepare for sending humans to the planet.

Non-astronaut volunteers enter a shelter that simulates the Martian environment. It was built at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas this June.

NASA revealed that during the stay Volunteers will take part in a range of activities, including simulated space exploration. working with robots accommodation care exercise and planting etc.

A working area is seen inside the Mars Dune Alpha, NASA’s simulated Mars habitat, being used as preparations for sending humans to the Red Planet, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, U.S. April 11, 2023. (REUTERS/Go Nakamura)

The 160-square-meter habitat was designed to simulate the environments future Mars visitors might face, such as doing activities with limited resources. there is separation and experiencing a condition where the device crashes

The simulated environments are created using 3D printing technology, with 3D printers being used in recent years to create larger structures, including whole houses.

A Crew quarter is seen inside the Mars Dune Alpha, NASA’s simulated Mars habitat, being used as preparations for sending humans to the Red Planet, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, U.S. April 11, 2023. (REUTERS/Go Nakamura)

This Mars habitat is part of a NASA project. Known as the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA), it is expected to include a total of three simulation environments.

Lead researcher of the CHAPEA experiment, Grace Douglas, told French news agency AFP: NASA sees 3D printing technology as a possible way. “To create habitats on other planetary surfaces or on the lunar surface.”

Instruments are seen inside the Mars landscape simulation area at Mars Dune Alpha, NASA’s simulated Mars habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, U.S. April 11, 2023. (REUTERS/Go Nakamura)

At this time, NASA officials are in the early stages of preparing for a mission to Mars. But most of the agency’s current efforts is to support the upcoming Artemis mission. which aims to send humans back to the moon for the first time in half a century

while the volunteers rested in the Mars simulated facility NASA staff will continue to monitor their physical and mental health.

Douglas said With that information, NASA will be better prepared to study how astronauts can learn to use the available resources. That will be crucial information in deciding what resources are critical to living on Mars.

A lavatory is seen inside the Mars Dune Alpha, NASA’s simulated Mars habitat, being used as preparations for sending humans to the Red Planet, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, U.S. April 11, 2023. (REUTERS/Go Nakamura)

The habitat will have “outdoor” areas that simulate the Martian surface and environment. This area will remain in the simulated environment.

However, the names of the volunteers who will participate in the first trial have not been named. NASA says the recruitment process will follow the same guidelines used to select astronauts. The team members must have basic knowledge in science, technology, engineering. and mathematics and must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents only.

Instruments are seen inside the Mars landscape simulation area at Mars Dune Alpha, NASA’s simulated Mars habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, U.S. April 11, 2023. (REUTERS/Go Nakamura)

For interested persons, they must be between the ages of 30 and 55, in good health. and no problems with food or motion sickness, such as motion sickness

Chris Hadfield, Canadian ex-astronaut He told the Associated Press in 2021 that he thinks the requirements show NASA is looking for someone similarly qualified to be an astronaut. which he thought was a good thing because it would make the experiment even more effective. And that past Russian attempts to create a simulated environment on Mars called Mars 500 have not been very successful. This was because the volunteers were too human-like.

He jokingly ended it by saying, The volunteers he joins in this experiment will spend a lot of time watching Netflix movies.

• source: AP