NASA Is Seeking Volunteers In Southwest Florida To Live In Its Mars Simulation
If you’ve ever wanted to go to Mars without leaving Earth, NASA is seeking volunteers in Southwest Florida to live in its Mars simulation.
I remember years ago, applications were open for Mars One, a small organization wanting to send people to Mars. When I heard about it, I remember thinking that I had a few family members I wouldn’t mind sending up there. It all sounded interesting until it was learned that if you went up there, you would be up there for good. The whole point was to establish a permanent human colony. So that means those who volunteered would be leaving literally everything behind forever. I’m sure there were plenty of people interested that would be up for the task in the name of science. But I’m not sure a regular person would be quite as willing. That organization went bankrupt in 2019, so a simulation seems to be the next best thing. And while it’s still a commitment, it’s a much shorter one than for life.
NASA Is Seeking Volunteers In Southwest Florida To Live In Its Mars Simulation
NASA put out the call last week looking for volunteers for a 1-year Mars simulation. It’s called the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog or CHAPEA 2. And the best part is that you won’t have to leave Earth. A crew of 4 will live and work in a 1700 square-foot 3D-printed version of Mars, but located in Houston, TX. Life in the simulation will be about as close to what it would be like on the red planet if you were actually there. But it won’t be a life of luxury. Based on everything we’ve seen about Mars, it appears to be an extremely harsh environment with limited resources.
This will be the second mission of its kind. There is a crew about halfway through the first right now. CHAPEA 2 begins in Spring 2025. And while participants are called volunteers, it is a paid position, though NASA hasn’t said, as of yet, what they pay will be.
What are the requirements?
As you can imagine, this isn’t a task for just anyone. The requirements for applicants are pretty intense. You must be a US citizen between 30-55 years old. Speak fluent English and have a master’s degree in a STEM field PLUS a minimum of 2 years experience. You must also have at least 1000 hours of piloting an aircraft or 2 years of work toward a STEM doctoral program.
If you or someone you know might be interested, you can find an application here
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