- In full:
- Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog
- Date:
- 2023 - present
News •
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What is the CHAPEA space mission?
CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) is a series of analog missions by NASA simulating year-long stays on Mars to prepare for manned missions to the planet. These Earth-based missions gather data on the physical and mental health of crews living in isolation.
During CHAPEA missions, a crew of four people live in a habitat called Mars Dune Alpha at NASAās Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they perform simulated Martian activities such as growing crops, conducting experiments, and undertaking maintenance work. They also conduct simulated space walks and are subjected to stressors like communication delays and equipment failures. The first mission began on June 25, 2023, and ended on July 6, 2024. Future missions are planned for 2025 and 2026.
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Why was the CHAPEA mission created?
The main goal of the CHAPEA mission is to collect data about the physical and behavioral health effects on crews living in isolation. NASA personnel can gather important information for future missions before crew and equipment are subjected to the extreme conditions of space. Testing on Earth is less expensive and allows for a greater range of both testers and solutions, as funding, equipment, and personnel are limited once a mission leaves the planet.
Crews of four live and conduct simulated activities in a habitat called Mars Dune Alpha at NASAās Johnson Space Center in Houston. They are also subjected to simulated stressors, such as communication delays, equipment failures, and resource limitations, to see how these problems might be solved.
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How do scientists simulate conditions on Mars during CHAPEA?
During NASA's CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) missions, scientists simulate conditions on Mars to gather crucial data for future crewed missions to the red planet.
CHAPEA missions occur on Earth to save costs and allow a wider range of testing and solutions before sending crew and equipment into space. These simulations involve crews of four living in a habitat called Mars Dune Alpha, where they conduct simulated spacewalks and other activities that mimic life on Mars, such as cooking, personal hygiene, experiments, crop cultivation, exercise, and maintenance work. Crews experience stressors like communication delays, equipment failures, and resource limitations to test problem-solving approaches. A main goal of CHAPEA is to collect data about the physical and behavioral health effects of crews living in isolation.
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Who are the people involved in the CHAPEA mission, and what do they do?
The CHAPEA missions gather data on the impacts of isolation on physical and mental health. During these missions, crews of four people live in a habitat called Mars Dune Alpha at NASAās Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they perform simulated activities.
The first mission's crew was composed of commander Kelly Haston, who oversaw the mission and managed communications; flight engineer Ross Brockwell, who monitored habitat systems; medical officer Nathan Jones, who organized the collection of biological specimens and treated medical emergencies; and science officer Anca Selariu, who coordinated science activities, operated drones and rovers, analyzed specimens, and grew crops.
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What challenges do the CHAPEA crew members face during the mission?
During the CHAPEA mission, crew members face several challenges that mirror those of actual Mars missions. These include:
* Physical and behavioral health effects Living in isolation can lead to sleep difficulties, fatigue, depression, and cognitive decline.
* Confinement Living and working in close quarters with a small crew can create interpersonal challenges.
* Stressors Crews are subjected to simulated stressors such as communication delays, equipment failures, and resource limitations to test problem-solving skills.
* Simulated space walks Conducting simulated space walks replicates the experience of exploring the Martian surface.
* Dietary limitations Crew members may experience fatigue and aversion to the limited food options available in the habitat.
* Psychological issues Isolation and confinement can present psychological challenges, necessitating careful crew selection and support to maintain mental well-being.5 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How will the results of the CHAPEA mission help future space travel to Mars?
The data collected from the CHAPEA mission is intended to help future space travel to Mars by providing important information about the physical and behavioral health effects on crews living in isolation.
Crews of four live and conduct simulated activities in a habitat called Mars Dune Alpha at NASAās Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA personnel will gather important information for future missions before crew and equipment are subjected to the extreme conditions of space. The crews will also be subjected to simulated stressors, such as communication delays, equipment failures, and resource limitations, to see how these problems might be solved.
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CHAPEA, is a series of analog missions conducted by NASA that are intended to simulate human habitation on the surface of Mars. The missions are meant to simulate yearlong stays on the red planet in preparation for future missions there.
Purpose
Like other analog missions, CHAPEA missions are conducted on Earth, which allows NASA personnel to gather important information for future missions before crew and equipment are subjected to the extreme conditions of space. Testing on Earth is less expensive and allows for a greater range of both testers and solutions, as funding, equipment, and personnel are limited once a mission leaves the planet. New technology, robotics, habitats, vehicles, and more can be tested on Earth for safety, and issues can be addressed before they happen in space.
A main goal of CHAPEA is to collect data about the physical and behavioral health effects of crews living in isolation. Crews of four live and conduct simulated activities in a habitat called Mars Dune Alpha at NASAās Johnson Space Center in Houston. Isolation has been known to cause sleep difficulties, fatigue, depression, and cognitive decline, among other issues. Data is gathered from CHAPEAās crew about the effects of confinement and living together in close quarters, as well as about comfort factors, such as how tired they become of the foods available in the habitat during their stay. They live as crews would on Marsācooking, taking care of personal hygiene, conducting experiments, growing crops, exercising, and undertaking maintenance work.
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In addition to providing information about the physical and behavioral effects of living in such an environment, crews conduct simulated space walks that aim to replicate what exploring the Martian surface might be like. They are also subjected to simulated stressors, such as communication delays, equipment failures, and resource limitations, to see how these problems might be solved.
Mars Dune Alpha
The Mars Dune Alpha habitat is a 3D-printed structure with an area of about 158 square meters (1,700 square feet), which includes individual sleeping quarters for the four crew members, a kitchen, workstations, a medical station, a food-growing station, and areas for exercise and recreation. Areas for work and recreation were deliberately kept separate to allow for the crew members to feel physically distanced from their āofficeā during personal time.
The structure was built using 3D printing, because that process would use local materials and thus negate the need for costly shipments of building materials to Mars. The walls are printed from LavaCrete, an incredibly strong and durable type of concrete developed specially for 3D printing structures.
The habitat is inside a domed facility that includes a mock Martian landscape, complete with images of craggy mountains and a 111-square-meter (1,200-square-foot) box of red sand in which to complete simulated space walks. The habitat itself also includes a screen that projects outdoor conditions relative to the time of day, including sunrises in the morning and stars at night.
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Missions
Applications for CHAPEA missions are open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who meet the strict mission criteria. Applicants are required to have an advanced degree in a STEM field and are subjected to a battery of physical tests similar to those for astronaut candidates.
The first missionās crew consisted of commander Kelly Haston, responsible for overseeing the mission generally and managing communications; flight engineer Ross Brockwell, who monitored habitat systems; medical officer Nathan Jones, who organized collection of biological specimens and treated any medical emergencies; and science officer Anca Selariu, responsible for coordinating science activities, including operating drones and rovers, analyzing specimens, and growing crops. Their one-year mission began on June 25, 2023, and ended on July 6, 2024. During their time in Mars Dune Alpha, the crew grew tomatoes, peppers, and greens; conducted simulated āMars walksā; and celebrated birthdays and holidays together.
The second missionās crew consisted of commander Ross Elder, flight engineer James Spicer, medical officer Ellen Ellis, and science officer Matthew Montgomery. The mission lasted from October 19, 2025, to October 31, 2026, and halfway through the mission, they experienced a communication āblackoutā of two weeks meant to simulate the loss of contact that would happen when Mars is on the other side of the Sun from Earth. The third and final CHAPEA mission is scheduled to begin in 2027.