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U.S. broadcaster CNN introduced the Moon and Mars Exploration Analog (MMEA), for which NASA announced a recruitment call earlier this month.
The MMEA is a one-year simulation program designed to provide an experience similar to traveling to the Moon and Mars and living on those planets.
Participants in the simulation will live in a confined space that mimics the space environment and perform tasks similar to those of astronauts, such as growing crops, managing health, and simulating spacewalks.
The simulation is scheduled to take place at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston after August 2027, and NASA will select four individuals from the applicants.
Kelsey Spivey, a NASA spokesperson, explained, "The simulation will help reduce the risks that astronauts may face during their journey to space and landing on Mars."
Through this experiment, NASA also plans to study how participants adapt to Martian time.
A day on Mars, called a "sol," is 40 minutes longer than a day on Earth, and this difference can affect sleep, health, and task performance.
Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 30 to 55 can apply for this simulation, although individuals outside this age range may still be considered.
Applicants must be 1.88 meters or shorter and must be fluent in English.
There are also academic requirements; like astronauts, applicants must hold a bachelor's degree in fields such as engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics.
Military experience is also considered, and those with advanced degrees in STEM fields are also eligible to apply.
Applicants must be willing to participate in a 14-month program held at the Johnson Space Center.
The program consists of 12 months spent in two confined spaces that simulate the space environment, along with two months of pre- and post-simulation training.
Applicants must pass physical and mental evaluations.
They must not have a history of sleepwalking or using sleep medication, and they must not have any dietary restrictions.
NASA will conduct the experiment in three parts across two simulated living spaces.
In the first phase, participants will live in a 60-square-meter model spacecraft as if they were traveling to the Moon or Mars.
The four participants will each have a small space for living, working, and sleeping, which includes a small bathroom.
In the second phase, participants will move to an 84-square-meter, single-story facility to conduct experiments on managing health and well-being.
They will also practice spacewalks in a sandbox designed to mimic the surface of another planet.
The final experiment involves returning to Earth in the model spacecraft.
Previously, NASA conducted 28 transport simulations and two planetary surface habitat simulations through the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) project.
The current MMEA is the first project to integrate both transport and habitat experiments.
Nathan Jones (43), a physician who participated in the Mars habitat simulation in 2023, said in a CNN interview that he learned to appreciate simple things after participating in the experiment.
"I missed my wife and children during the one-year study period," Jones recalled. "It was difficult not being able to celebrate events like birthdays, holidays, graduations, and family milestones."
He also noted, "The food provided by NASA was okay, but the menu was limited. Other than a few vegetables we grew ourselves, there was nothing fresh."
He added, "During the mission, there was no sunlight or wind. It was only after the mission ended that I felt grateful for those things."
(Photo: Getty Images)
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