For a year, NASA is testing a living experiment on the surface of Mars.
For a year, NASA is testing a living experiment on the surface of Mars.
2025-09-09
Shafaq News – Follow-up
NASA announced that it will launch a year-long experiment in October simulating the life of astronauts on Mars. This experiment will involve four volunteers living in a 3D-printed habitat .
NASA notes that “the experiment, which will involve four researchers, will take place inside a 3D-printed habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas,” and aims to collect data that will help in future exploration of the Moon, Mars, and other planets .
According to NASA, “during the experiment, the team will face realistic resource constraints, equipment failures, communication delays, isolation, limited mobility, and other stressful situations .”
Participants will also “conduct scientific research and practical tasks, including simulating walking on the surface of Mars, growing vegetables, performing robotic surgeries, and other similar activities,” according to NASA .
The group of participants in the experiment — scheduled to begin on October 19 — consists of: Major Ross Elder, U.S. Air Force test pilot; Colonel Ellen Ellis, U.S. Space Force medic; Matthew Montgomery, scientist and engineer James Spicer, Chief of Space and Defense Technology .
NASA hopes that this 278-day experiment, which ends on October 31, 2026, will gather cognitive and physical data to better understand the potential effects of resource constraints and long journeys to Mars on crew health and performance.
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