A British woman is planning to spend an entire year on Mars, but never leave Terra Firma.
Laura Marie of Devon will spend 278 days in a simulated version of conditions on Earth’s neighboring planet, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
The airline pilot, who immigrated to the US in 2016, is one of six chosen from a whopping 8,000 volunteers to take part in the American study.
They will grow crops, test technologies designed for Mars, and simply walk around the 3D-printed Mars Dune Alpha habitat, measuring 158 square meters (1,700 square feet).
The core crew of four – Ross Sr., Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery and James Spitzer – is scheduled to launch the experiment on October 19.
Meanwhile, Ms. Mary is one of two “alternative” members, ready to take over if one of them needs to escape.
But she has said she will approach her training, which begins next week, as seriously as if she were the first one in the door.
Despite her determined mindset, there is one particular home comfort that Britt said will be hard to leave behind – the great outdoors.
Laura Marie (pictured) from Devon, who will spend 378 days in a simulated version of conditions on Earth’s neighboring planet, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas
Participants will grow crops, test technologies designed for Mars, and simply walk around the 3D-printed Mars Dune Alpha Habitat (pictured), measuring 158 square meters (1,700 square feet)
The core crew of four – Ross Sr., Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery and James Spitzer – are scheduled to launch the experiment (pictured) on October 19.
“I’m a big nature girl. I spend a lot of time outside,” she confessed to The Guardian in an interview.
And in the airless conditions of space and the barren rocks of Mars, Ms. Mary admitted that she would miss the feeling of the wind in her hair – and the smell of grass.
This will be the second of three planned Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analogue (Chapea) missions, gathering information for sending a crew to Mars itself.
The first group of volunteers began residing in the simulated habitat in June 2023, emerging in July of last year after a successful mission.
NASA hopes the study will provide data on how such an undertaking will affect an astronaut’s physical health, mind, and performance.
The American space agency also aims to assess how best to adapt its space food regulations to the red planet.
Mrs. Mary, the first Briton ever to take part in a chapea mission, said: “With science, you can’t just do something once.”
The Brit, who has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in aeronautics, admitted that he had always dreamed of working with NASA.
This will be the second of three planned Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analogue (Chapea) missions, gathering information for sending a crew to Mars itself. Pictured: Habitat
The first group of volunteers began living in the simulated habitat (pictured) in June 2023.
NASA hopes the study will provide data on how such an undertaking will affect an astronaut’s physical health, mind, and performance. Pictured: Habitat
She spotted her opportunity after following the first mission on the news – and successfully went for it.
Given the fairly close quarters the experiment is tied to, she said, the final team spent a lot of time together as part of a robust 13-month selection process.
“I’m not bothered by any of the crew dynamics. I’d happily lock myself in a box with all of them,” she said.
And they will indeed mostly have each other, with a communication lag to simulate what astronauts on Mars might experience trying to communicate with Earth.
Tas nozīmē, ka nebūs tiešraides tērzēšanas ar misijas kontroli – neparasta iezīme jebkuram astronautam, un pat starptautiskā kosmosa stacija pastāvīgi saskaras ar Zemi.
Iestatīšana atstāj komandu ar daudz dīkstāves-kuru Marijas kundze plāno izmantot, lai uzzinātu, kā rekordlielā laikā atrisināt Rubika kubu.
Brits arī ir teicis, ka viņa ne tikai vēlas apstāties simulācijā – atklājot, ka viņa izmantos jebkuru iespēju veikt ceļojumu uz reālo darījumu.
Tā kā NASA izstrādā tehnoloģiju, lai atvieglotu šādas misijas, šķiet, ka šis sapnis var būt ne tikai pilots, kurš vienkārši ir galva mākoņos.
Amerikas Kosmosa aģentūras mērķis ir arī novērtēt, kā vislabāk pielāgot savas kosmosa pārtikas noteikumus sarkanajai planētai. Attēlā: biotops
Marijas kundze, pirmā brit, kas jebkad piedalījusies chapea misijā (attēlā, tai izmantotais biotops) sacīja: “Ar zinātni jūs nevarat kaut ko darīt tikai vienreiz”
“Es domāju, ka visas daudzplanētu sugas, tur mēs dodamies,” viņa sacīja.
“Un jebkas, ko es varu darīt, lai būtu daļa no tā – ja tas ir tas [simulation]ja tas ir kaut kas cits – es tikai priecājos iesaistīties. ”
Tas notiek pēc tam, kad reklāma, kas meklē pretendentus uz dzīves izmēģinājumu uz Marsa, iznāca pagājušā gada februārī.
Iespēja nav saistīta ar sirds vāju, jo bezbailīgie brīvprātīgie cīnās ar galēju izolāciju un atdalīšanos no mīļajiem.
Futūristiskā ēka, kāda būs viņu mājas gadu, ir paredzēta, lai atkārtotu tādu struktūras veidu, kādu cilvēki galu galā veidos, kad viņi beidzot nonāks Marsā.
Tiek ziņots, ka katram dalībniekam tiek maksāts USD 10 par katru nomoda stundu, kurā viņi atrodas bāzes iekšpusē – kopumā ir aptuveni 60 000 USD.
“Analogā misija būs tikpat reālistiska kā iespējama, kas var ietvert vides stresa faktorus, piemēram, resursu ierobežojumus, izolāciju, aprīkojuma mazspēju un ievērojamu darba slodzi,” sacīja NASA.
“Galvenās apkalpes aktivitātes analogā laikā var sastāvēt no imitētām kosmosa pastaigām, ieskaitot virtuālo realitāti, komunikāciju, ražas augšanu, ēdienu sagatavošanu un patēriņu, vingrinājumus, higiēnas aktivitātes, uzturēšanas darbu, personīgo laiku, zinātnes darbu un miegu.”
Marsa kāpa alfa (attēlā) ir būvēta ar patentētu betona sajaukumu, ko sauc par “lavacrete”, kas ir slāņains, lai sienām radītu rievotu efektu
Lai arī iedzīvotāji ir izolēti un nespēj aiziet, izņemot ārkārtas medicīniskās palīdzības gadījumā, pagaidu mājām (attēlā) ir pamata ērtības
Nav logu, ko ielaist nevienā saules gaismā – tāpēc iemītniekiem tiks nodrošināti D vitamīna piedevas. Attēlā: biotopa atpūtas zona
Tam pat ir gaisa bloks, kas noved pie “āra” rekonstrukcijas Marsa videi ar sarkanām smiltīm. Attēlā: biotops
Mars Dune Alpha ir uzbūvēts ar patentētu betona sajaukumu, ko sauc par “lavacrete”, kas ir slāņains, lai sienām radītu rievotu efektu.
Although residents are isolated and unable to leave except for medical emergencies, the temporary homes have basic amenities such as a kitchen and two bathrooms, a shower and toilets, as well as a seating area, complete with leather sofas and a television.
But there are no windows to let in any sunlight – so passengers will be provided with vitamin D supplements.
The diet of pre-packaged provisions is supplemented by fresh salads and vegetables grown on a “vertical farm” – in rows stacked vertically.
There is also fitness equipment, including a rowing machine and a treadmill on which volunteers walk from straps to simulate the lower gravity of Mars.
It even has an airlock that leads to an “outdoor” reconstruction of a Martian environment with red sand, although it is still in the hangar where the facility is located.
Various pieces of equipment are also scattered around the sandy floor, including a weather station, a brick-making machine, and a small greenhouse.
