How did it all start?
American Aeronautics and Space Administration
How will the mission proceed?
NASA plans to study how "highly motivated people" react to the harsh conditions of a long-term ground simulator in near real-life conditions.
According to the plan, the aerospace agencyplans to conduct three one-year missions to simulate the surface of Mars at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas. During them, scientists will conduct research to develop methods and technologies to prevent and solve potential problems in future human space flights to the Moon and Mars.
Each mission will include four crew members who will live and work in the 160 m² Mars Dune Alpha module. At the same time, the structure itself will be printed on a 3D printer.
It is planned that the habitat will imitateMars mission challenges, including resource limitations, equipment failure, communication delays, and other environmental stressors. Crew tasks may include simulated spacewalks, scientific research, virtual reality and robot control, and messaging.
NASA is now waiting for volunteer applications.
Requirements for participants in the “Mars mission”
NASA is looking for healthy, motivated citizens orU.S. permanent residents who are non-smokers, between 30 and 55 years of age and have a good command of English for effective communication between the crew and mission control. Crew selection will be carried out in accordance with NASA standard criteria for astronaut candidates.
The candidate must also have at least two years of relevant professional experience in a STEM field or at least 1,000 hours of command flight experience in a jet aircraft.
A master's degree in STEM is required, suchas engineering, mathematics, biology, physics or computer science, from an accredited institution with at least two years of professional STEM experience or at least a thousand hours of flying an airplane. Applicants who have completed two years of doctoral studies in STEM, or have earned a medical degree, or test pilot program will also be considered. In addition, with four years of professional experience, candidates who have completed military officer training or have earned a Bachelor of Science in STEM degree may be considered.
What awaits the finalists?
Finalists will undergo medicalexamination, psychological testing and psychiatric examination. The goal is to determine their suitability for long-term isolation requiring serious physical and psychological effort. All exams and related costs will be arranged and paid for by NASA.
- Who won't qualify?
The agency notes that candidates will not pass the selectionwith any food allergy or gastrointestinal diseases. In addition, applicants are required to provide the requested biological samples on the required days, as well as follow a diet similar to the space diet envisaged during the mission. Also, candidates should not have any problems with motion sickness when using virtual reality equipment.
Also, people who will not be able to participate in the mission will be able towho are taking certain medications. Prohibited drugs include blood pressure medications, thrombolytics, anticonvulsants, daily allergy medications, daily insulin for diabetics, sleeping pills, ADHD/ADD medications, antidepressants, anxiety medications. Also, during the mission it is prohibited to take nutritional supplements, so if a person needs them, there is no point in applying. At the same time, NASA notes that vitamin D is provided by the agency for the duration of the mission—project participants will not have access to sunlight. All other vitamins are available in the spaceflight nutrition system and no supplements are allowed.
Candidates are also required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 andprovide proof of full vaccination. In addition, program participants must undergo a PCR test. During the mission, scientists will have to follow disease risk mitigation protocols in place on NASA campuses when visiting.
- How long will the selection take?
NASA notes that candidates participating inwith this protocol, selection for analog missions is not guaranteed. The selection process can take up to 13 months. However, active participation will take a maximum of 16 days at all times. This includes the time it takes to complete the application, travel time, campus pre-screening time, and time at the National School of Outdoor Leadership. Not all candidates will go through every selection stage. Crew selection applications will be evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis until all vacancies have been filled.
The agency notes that compensation is possible for the participants, but all additional information will be provided during the selection of candidates for the crew.
- What are the risks during selection?
“The risks of participating in the protocol may include"includes loss of privacy or subject confidentiality, minor discomfort and low levels of radiation exposure from x-rays during medical examinations, and physical injury or an extremely unlikely chance of death," NASA says. However, the agency notes that all personal data will be protected as much as possible, and medical examinations will take place only in licensed clinics. In addition, NASA promises to "use safety mechanisms" and provide "injury prevention training."
How and when to apply?
Crew applications are acceptedfrom 8:00 CET on August 6, 2021 (09:00 Moscow time) to 17:00 CET (18:00 Moscow time) on September 17, 2021 for a one-year analog mission that will begin in the fall of 2022.
NASA emphasizes that “qualifiedTest candidates must apply now to have the opportunity to contribute to NASA's efforts to prepare for a journey to Mars." You can do this using the link.
Read more
The slowing down of the Earth's rotation caused the release of oxygen on the planet
Astronomers spot unusual structures in deep space
See more 60,000-year-old Neanderthal rock art
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) - science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This is a broad term used to group these academic disciplines together.