If extreme challenges are your cup of tea, has the perfect opportunity for you. The space agency launched a call on Friday for volunteers to participate in its second simulated year-long mission to Mars, the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA 2). For the duration of the mission, which will begin in spring 2025, the four selected crew members will be housed in a 1,700-square-foot 3D-printed habitat in Houston. NASA is accepting applications on the by April 2. This is a paid gig, but NASA has not publicly announced how much participants are paid.
The Mars Dune Alpha habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center is designed to simulate what life might be like for future explorers on the Red Planet, where the environment is harsh and resources limited. A crew is currently living and working there on the first CHAPEA mission, which is now more than halfway through its 378-day mission. During their stay, volunteers will carry out, among other tasks, habitat maintenance and cultivation. The habitat also features a 1,200 square foot sandbox for simulated spacewalks.
To be considered, applicants must be U.S. citizens between the ages of 30 and 55, fluent in English, and have a master's degree in a STEM field, as well as at least two years of work experience, a minimum of one thousand hours piloting an aircraft or two years of professional experience. work towards a STEM doctoral program. Certain types of professional experience may also allow candidates without a master's degree to qualify. CHAPEA 2 is the second of three missions planned by NASA under the program, the first of which began on June 25, 2023.