On June 25, 2023, a team of four crew members will embark on a groundbreaking Mars mission, but with a unique twist—they won’t actually leave Earth. Instead, they will spend an entire year living in a small 3D-printed habitat within a hangar at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This simulated Martian environment, known as Chapea (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog), aims to examine the psychological and social challenges that future astronauts may face when venturing to the Red Planet.
The isolated and harsh conditions of Mars pose formidable obstacles for early visitors, making it crucial to understand how to ensure the well-being and productivity of the crew. Lessons learned from this social experiment could help NASA devise strategies to enhance crew comfort, foster positive interpersonal dynamics, and address issues such as loneliness and homesickness. The mission’s biomedical researcher and commander, Kelly Haston, acknowledges the difficulty of the undertaking, emphasizing the importance of completing the year without any attrition. Unlike this simulated mission, actual Mars missions will offer no exit option.
Similar to future Martian astronauts, Haston and her crewmates—Ross Brockwell, Nathan Jones, and Alyssa Shannon—will live in a confined space with limited contact with the outside world. Communication with mission control will experience a 20-minute time delay, simulating the vast distance between Mars and Earth. The crew will encounter a barren landscape, replicated within the habitat using Martian mural images and a 1,200-square-foot sandbox filled with red sand. They will have opportunities for “Mars walks” while wearing spacesuits, providing a taste of the extraterrestrial environment.
The 1,700-square-foot habitat has been 3D-printed using simulated Martian regolith, reflecting NASA’s future mission plans. Resembling a high-end hostel for space workers, it features functional yet comfortable Ikea-like furniture, clean spaces, and ample lighting. The habitat includes individual crew quarters, a communal area for meals and meetings, a workspace, a kitchen, two bathrooms, and an exercise room. The primary objective of the Chapea mission is to gather data on the crew’s health and performance while living within a realistically restricted environment, mirroring the lifestyle of Mars astronauts, explains deputy project manager Raina MacLeod.
Although the concept of observing four individuals confined together for an extended period might resemble a reality TV show, the crew will maintain discipline and carry out assigned tasks. Their daily routines will resemble those of astronauts on the International Space Station, with additional space but no floating. Mission operations, such as Mars walks, plant cultivation, exercise, habitat maintenance, and equipment upkeep, will occupy their work hours. The kitchen is equipped with an oven and a fridge, but they will primarily rely on reconstituted dehydrated food and infrequent cargo resupply missions for fresh food. The bathrooms include a shower, toilet, and sink with running water—a significant improvement compared to microgravity conditions—although water rationing will be necessary due to the limited water resources on Mars.
The Chapea crew will be under constant surveillance through interior cameras, with mission control available 24/7. They will have private conferences with medical professionals to monitor their mental and physical well-being, as well as fill out surveys about their mood and temperament. While they can maintain contact with friends and family through video messages and emails, real-time conversations will be impossible due to the time delay.
Given the potential impact of isolation on individuals, NASA aims to closely observe the crew for any signs of psychological distress. Craig Haney, a psychologist specializing in solitary confinement, highlights the dangers of social isolation and recommends monitoring crew members for symptoms such as depression, irritability, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and mood swings. Establishing routines, including social rituals, and encouraging interaction with the outside world beyond mission control can help alleviate feelings of isolation.
To cope with the lack of sound in the simulated Mars environment, Haston plans to bring videos of familiar places and audio recordings of meaningful sounds and music. She also intends to utilize meditation as a method of managing anxiety. The Chapea mission builds upon previous Mars-like experiments, including the NASA-funded Hi-SEAS simulation in Hawaii. These simulations serve a vital purpose in studying the human factors involved in long-duration space missions, with the ultimate goal of avoiding psychological and sociological issues that could have disastrous consequences.
While the Chapea crew’s experience is only a simulation, a real Mars mission presents even greater challenges, including space radiation, the effects of microgravity on health, and limited resources like water, food, power, and breathable air. Furthermore, astronauts cannot quit or seek an exit if they become frustrated with their crewmates. Nevertheless, Haston acknowledges the positive aspects of their unique situation, highlighting the potential for an incredibly cohesive and interconnected team. The crew’s dependence on one another and their close proximity will forge a bond rarely found in traditional workplaces, leading to remarkable outcomes.
The Chapea mission marks a crucial step in understanding the psychological dynamics and social challenges that future Mars explorers may encounter. By simulating the Martian environment and closely observing the crew’s experiences, NASA aims to gather valuable data and insights, ultimately preparing for the remarkable journey that lies ahead.
By Impact Lab
