The four crew members, who volunteered for the mission,
spent over a year inside NASA’s initial simulated Mars habitat at the Johnson
Space Center in Houston. They emerged from the simulated extraterrestrial
environment on Saturday at approximately 5:00 p.m.
On June 25, 2023, the inaugural crew of the space agency’s
Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog project, consisting of Kelly
Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, and Nathan Jones, commenced their
habitation within the 3D-printed habitat.
Haston, the mission commander, began with a simple, “Hello.”
“It’s actually just so wonderful to be able to say ‘hello’
to you all,” she said.
Jones, a physician and the mission medical officer, said their 378 days in confinement “went by quickly.”
The four individuals resided and conducted their work within
a designated area spanning 17,000 square feet (equivalent to 1,579 square
meters). This simulated environment aimed to replicate a mission to the planet
Mars, the fourth celestial body from the sun. Mars has garnered considerable
attention among scientific communities and science fiction enthusiasts alike,
prompting discussions surrounding the potential for human exploration beyond
our own moon.
The Inaugural CHAPEA team concentrated on creating potential
circumstances for forthcoming Mars operations by conducting simulated
spacewalks, known as “Marswalks,” in addition to cultivating and gathering
vegetables to supplement their supplies and preserving the habitat and their
equipment.
In addition, the crew successfully navigated various
obstacles that a genuine Mars crew would likely encounter, such as restricted
resources, isolation, and communication delays of up to 22 minutes with Earth,
as reported by NASA.
Two additional CHAPEA missions are scheduled, and crews will proceed with simulated spacewalks and data collection on factors affecting physical and behavioral health and performance, as stated by NASA.
The deputy director of Johnson Space Center, Steve Koerner,
emphasized the significance of the initial crew’s experiments, primarily
centered around nutrition and its impact on performance. He highlighted the
critical nature of this scientific research in preparation for future human
missions to Mars.
“They’ve been separated from their families, placed on a
carefully prescribed meal plan and undergone a lot of observation,” Koerner
said.
“Mars is our goal,” he said, calling the project an
important step in America’s intent to be a leader in the global space
exploration effort.
Following a courteous knock on the habitat’s entrance by Kjell Lindgren, an esteemed astronaut and the esteemed deputy director of flight operations, the four esteemed volunteers expressed their profound gratitude for one another and the esteemed individuals who patiently awaited outside. They also shared valuable insights and lessons learned that could prove instrumental in planning a prospective manned mission to Mars and enhancing our understanding of life on Earth.
Brockwell, the flight engineer of the crew, shared that the
mission highlighted the significance of adopting sustainable practices for the
well-being of the entire global population.
“I’m very grateful to have had this incredible opportunity
to live for a year within the spirit of planetary adventure towards an exciting
future, and I’m grateful for the chance to live the idea that we must utilise
resources no faster than they can be replenished and produce waste no faster
than they can be processed back into resources,” Brockwell said
“We cannot live, dream, create or explore on any significant
timeframe if we don’t live these principles, but if we do, we can achieve and
sustain amazing and inspiring things like exploring other worlds,” he said.
Science officer Anca Selariu said she had been asked many
times why there is a fixation on Mars.
“Why go to Mars? Because it’s possible,” she said. “Because
space can unite and bring out the best in us. Because it’s one defining step
that ‘Earthlings’ will take to light the way into the next centuries.”