Johnson Space Center Integrates HERA and CHAPEA Mission Systems
NASA described the mission as the first in a ground-based environment that will simulate multiple parts of a Moon or Mars mission. It combines elements of NASA’s HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) and the CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) missions into a single, integrated campaign. The goal is to evaluate how astronauts adapt across the full range of potential Moon and Mars mission scenarios.
Habitat and Rover Facilities Simulate Planetary Transit and Surface Life
Two facilities will be used in the simulation. The first is the habitat previously used in the HERA mission, which will serve as the simulated transit spacecraft. It is a two-story, four-port habitat that simulates travel from Earth and includes a workspace, living area, sleeping quarters, and a hygiene module. The second facility is the surface habitat currently used by the CHAPEA mission. This one-story, 3D-printed habitat simulates living on another planet and includes private crew quarters, a communal workspace, a recreation room, a crop cultivation area, a medical room, a food preparation area, an airlock, two bathrooms, and a sandbox for simulated walks on a planetary surface. Additionally, selectees may use a rover module that includes two driver seats, two beds, a non-flushable toilet, and a small samples airlock.
Human Research Program Sets Eligibility Requirements for Deep Space Volunteers
Participants in the mission will help NASA assess and validate hardware, technologies, protocols, requirements, and other systems designed to support crew health and performance on long-duration deep space missions without leaving Earth. This effort will provide valuable data for NASA’s Human Research Program, which innovates ways to keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready. The results could inform plans for a sustained lunar presence through the agency’s Moon Base and future Artemis missions.
To qualify for the mission, applicants must meet several specific requirements:
* Must be a United States citizen or green card holder.
* Must be between 30 and 55 years old (candidates outside the range may be considered with additional approvals).
* Must be no more than 74 inches (or 6 feet 2 inches) tall.
* Must be proficient in English.
* Must be willing to consent to an approximately 14-month long mission, including 12 months in two different confined habitats and two months of pre- and post-mission training and data collection.
* Must be willing to participate in a multiday selection activity.
* Must be able to pass a NASA physical and psychological assessment.
* Must have strong technical skills.
* Must have no dietary restrictions.
* Must have no history of sleepwalking or taking sleeping aids.
Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman Complete Artemis II Lunar Transit
The mission is part of an ongoing effort to prepare for future exploration. NASA stated that the results of this year-long experiment could inform plans for a sustained lunar presence through the agency’s Moon Base and future Artemis missions. As the space race enters a critical phase, the agency continues to prepare for the Artemis II mission, which involves crew members Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman. Following a swing around the far side of the Moon on April 6, 2026, the Artemis II crew exited the lunar sphere of influence on April 7, 2026, heading back for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026.
The Moon and Mars Exploration Analog mission aims to build upon these efforts by providing a streamlined way to study the crew’s performance under resource limits and mission demands. By testing systems in these confined, isolated environments, researchers aim to ensure that future astronauts remain healthy and mission-ready during long-duration deep space travel.
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