Produced by: Tarun Mishra
A team of four volunteers are embarking on a 45-day mission as part of NASA's Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) program, simulating life on Mars.
Credit: NASA
Despite the mission's Mars-like conditions, the habitat is situated within NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, providing a controlled environment for the experiment. The mission will commence on May 10, 2024.
The crew includes Jason Lee, an associate professor specializing in thermal fluids; Stephanie Navarro, a space operations officer with extensive engineering experience; Shareef Al Romaithi, a seasoned pilot with over 16 years of aviation expertise; and Piyumi Wijesekara, a postdoctoral scientist specializing in bioengineering.
Credit: C7M2 Crew
Over the course of the 45-day mission, the crew will conduct a range of scientific research and operational tasks, mimicking the challenges astronauts would face on a real mission to Mars.
As part of their tasks, crew members will engage in a virtual reality simulation of a walk on Mars's surface, providing insights into the terrain and conditions.
The crew will experience communication delays of up to five minutes each way with the Mission Control Center, replicating the communication challenges inherent in Mars missions.
HERA aims to study how crew members adapt to isolation, confinement, and remote conditions, offering valuable insights for future deep space missions to Mars and beyond.
This marks the second crew to participate in the simulated Martian habitat, with two more missions scheduled later in the year as part of NASA's ongoing research efforts.
Each crew member brings unique expertise to the mission: Jason Lee specializes in thermal fluids; Stephanie Navarro excels in space operations; Shareef Al Romaithi brings extensive aviation experience; and Piyumi Wijesekara focuses on bioengineering, particularly in relation to space's impact on human health.
Credit: C7M2 Crew