NASA is looking for four participants for its Moon and Mars Exploration Analog (MMEA), a yearlong simulation program designed to replicate traveling and living on the Moon and Mars.
Program Details
The 12-month program will begin no earlier than August 2027 and will be based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Volunteers will live in spacelike conditions, carrying out tasks such as growing crops, looking after their health, and replicating spacewalks.
The program will also study how crew members adjust to living on Mars time, with a Martian day being about 40 minutes longer than a day on Earth. This difference could impact sleep and other health and performance issues.
Application Requirements
Applicants must be US citizens or green card holders, aged between 30 and 55, and no taller than 6 feet 2 inches. They must also be fluent in English and willing to commit to the 14-month program, which includes 12 months inside two confined habitats and two months for pre- and post-mission training.
Prospective participants must pass physical and psychological assessments, have no dietary restrictions, and cannot have a history of sleepwalking or taking sleeping aids. They must also have astronaut-like qualifications, such as bachelor’s degrees in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
