The Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) Mission 1 crew members have officially returned to "Earth" after 378 days from their simulated yearlong Mars habitat simulation at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on Saturday, July 6.
Kelly Haston, Anca Selariu, Ross Brockwell, and Nathan Jones are the four volunteers who braved the mission operations back in June of 2023. For more than a year, the crew’s routine involved "Marswalks" and revolved around growing and harvesting their own vegetables, maintaining their equipment and habitat, and living under unfamiliar stressors that only those in Mars would experience, such as isolation, the limitation of resources, and communication delays with Earth.
CHAPEA's 4-person crew just exited their home after 378 days. ✅
— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) July 6, 2024
They simulated a Mars mission to help assess health and performance in relation to Mars-realistic resource limitations in isolation and confinement. The door is officially open and the mission is complete. Congrats… pic.twitter.com/AbfaMrzw2n
The crew’s exit from the 3D-printed structure included a short welcome ceremony that was broadcasted on NASA’s social media pages and streaming platforms.
Along with the four volunteers, other participants include:
- Steve Koerner, deputy director, NASA Johnson
- Kjell Lindgren, NASA astronaut and deputy director, Flight Operations
- Grace Douglas, principal investigator, CHAPEA
- Judy Hayes, chief science officer, Human Health and Performance Directorate
- Julie Kramer White, director of engineering
CHAPEA is a series of simulated yearlong missions at the 1,700 square foot 3D habitat known as Mars Dune Alpha. Four crew members would conduct simulated spacewalks and accumulate data on factors such as the physical and behavioral health and performance of people on Mars.
