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NASA Names Second Yearlong Mars-Simulation Crew for 378-Day CHAPEA Mission

NASA will use the mission to gather human-performance data that informs crewed exploration plans.

NASA Is Set To Lock Up Four Volunteers For 378-Day Mars Simulation Study
Boots coated with dirt from the Mars sandbox are shown in a containment area inside a "Mars" habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in Houston. This photo was taken before the first group of "astronauts" began their yearlong stay in 2023 to help NASA prepare for the physical, mental and social challenges of living on Mars. A second crew of pretend astronauts are preparing to embark on their one-year mission starting Oct. 19, 2025.
The door leading to the Mars sandbox from a work area inside the "Mars" habitat is shown at NASA's Johnson Space Center on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in Houston. This photo was taken before the first group of "astronauts" began their yearlong stay in 2023 to help NASA prepare for the physical, mental and social challenges of living on Mars. A second crew of pretend astronauts are preparing to embark on their one-year mission starting Oct. 19, 2025.
The Mars sandbox is shown at NASA's Johnson Space Center on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, in Houston before the first group of "astronauts" began their yearlong stay to help NASA prepare for the physical, mental and social challenges of living on Mars. A second crew of pretend astronauts are preparing to embark on their one-year mission starting Oct. 19, 2025. 

Overview

  • Four research volunteers will enter the 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed Mars Dune Alpha at Johnson Space Center on Oct. 19, 2025 and exit on Oct. 31, 2026.
  • Ross Elder will serve as commander, Ellen Ellis as medical officer, Matthew Montgomery as science officer, and James Spicer as flight engineer.
  • Mission stressors will include limited resources, simulated equipment failures, isolation, and communication delays of up to 22 minutes each way.
  • Planned tasks include growing crops, operating robots, and performing simulated surface walks with a VR headset and treadmill in a 1,200-square-foot sandbox.
  • Participants are stipended volunteers rather than NASA astronauts, with alternates Emily Phillips and Laura Marie named, in the program’s second yearlong CHAPEA run following a 2024 mission.