NASA unveils home to simulate life on Mars

Four small rooms, a gym and lots of red sand – the US space agency Nasa has presented a new building in which life on Mars will be tested. As a first step, starting in June, four volunteers will be confined for a year in a converted hangar at NASA’s Human Space Research Center in Houston to simulate life on the Red Planet.

The main purpose of this first experiment is to test how people deal with such a long period of isolation. This should help NASA assess what “resources” will be needed for future astronauts to survive a Mars mission, says Grace Douglas, head of the Chapea program responsible for the experiment. This is all the more important because future astronauts can only take a small amount of luggage to Mars. Two more experiments will follow in the coming years.

On 160 square meters, “Mars Dune Alpha” offers a vertical farm for growing lettuce, two bathrooms, a medical care room, a relaxation room and several work areas. It was created using 3D printing, a technology Douglas says could potentially be used to build habitats on other planets or the moon.

Treadmill simulates low gravity

A lock leads from the 3D house to a replica of the Martian landscape. The red-sand-covered floor features a weather station, a rock machine, and a small greenhouse—all items astronauts on the Red Planet are likely to use.

The treadmill in the sand, on the other hand, is not necessary on real Mars. The fictional astronauts must walk on it, hanging from harnesses to simulate the red planet’s lower gravity. “We can’t keep them spinning in circles for six hours,” joked Suzanne Bell, director of NASA’s Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory.

According to Bell, the four volunteers will simulate longer treadmill rides, collecting samples, collecting data and setting up additional infrastructure.

Volunteers not yet selected

According to NASA, the four volunteers have not yet been selected. However, applicants must meet the standard astronaut criteria – especially in terms of their scientific, technical and mathematical knowledge. During the experiment, the researchers also regularly test how the crew reacts to stressful situations, for example if the water runs out or equipment breaks down.

NASA is still in the early stages of preparations for manned missions to Mars. The great journey, which would take several years, is not yet in sight; First of all, it concerns the return of man to the moon. According to NASA boss Bill Nelson, a manned mission to the red planet will be launched by 2040. (saw/sda/afp)