The crew of a NASA mission to Mars emerged from their craft after a yearlong voyage that never left Earth.
The four volunteer crew members spent over 12 months inside NASA’s first simulated Mars environment at Johnson Space Center in Houston, coming out of the artificial alien environment on Saturday around 5 p.m.
Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, and Nathan Jones entered the 3D-printed habitat on June 25, 2023, as the inaugural crew of the space agency’s Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog project.
Ms. Haston, the mission commander, greeted with a simple, “Hello.”
“It’s truly wonderful to be able to say ‘hello’ to you all,” she expressed.
Mr. Jones, a physician and the mission medical officer, mentioned that their 378 days in confinement “passed quickly.”
The team resided and worked inside the space of 1,700 square feet (157 square meters) to imitate a mission to the red planet, Mars, the fourth planet from the sun and a subject of interest among scientists and sci-fi enthusiasts regarding a potential journey taking humans beyond our moon.
The first CHAPEA crew concentrated on establishing possible conditions for future Mars operations through simulated spacewalks, known as “Marswalks,” as well as cultivating and harvesting vegetables to supplement their supplies and maintaining the habitat and their equipment.
They also tackled challenges that a real Mars crew would likely face, such as limited resources, isolation, and communication delays of up to 22 minutes with Earth on the other side of the habitat’s walls, NASA reported.
Two more CHAPEA missions are in the pipeline, and crews will continue conducting simulated spacewalks and collecting data on factors related to physical and behavioral health and performance, NASA confirmed.
Steve Koerner, deputy director of Johnson Space Center, emphasized that most of the first crew’s research centered on nutrition and its impact on their performance. The research was deemed “critical science” as preparations are made to send humans to Mars, he stated.
“They’ve been away from their families, adhered to a carefully planned meal schedule, and been under close observation,” Mr. Koerner noted.
“Mars is our objective,” he declared, referring to the project as a significant stride in America’s aspiration to lead the global space exploration endeavor.
After a knock on the habitat’s door by Kjell Lindgren, an astronaut and the deputy director of flight operations, the four volunteers expressed their gratitude for each other and those who patiently waited outside, as well as the lessons learned about a potential manned mission to Mars and life on Earth.
Mr. Brockwell, the crew’s flight engineer, mentioned that the mission highlighted the importance of living sustainably for the benefit of all on Earth.
“I am extremely grateful to have had this incredible opportunity to live for a year embracing the spirit of planetary adventure towards an exciting future, and I am thankful for the chance to embody the notion that we must use resources at a sustainable pace and produce waste at a rate that can be recycled back into resources,” Mr. Brockwell expressed.
“We cannot truly live, dream, create, or explore on any meaningful timeline if we do not adhere to these principles, but if we do, we can accomplish and sustain remarkable and inspiring feats like exploring other worlds,” he added.
Science officer Anca Selariu shared that she had been questioned numerous times about the fascination with Mars.
“Why go to Mars? Because it is achievable,” she stated. “Because space has the power to unite us and bring out the best in us. Because it signifies a defining moment that ‘Earthlings’ will take to illuminate the path into the upcoming centuries.”
By Brian P. D. Hannon
