NASA wants volunteers for "a whole year on the Moon" simulation

NASA has opened registrations for volunteers interested in participating in a simulated mission to explore the Moon and Mars. The experiment, scheduled to begin in August 2027, will last approximately one year and will be carried out at the Johnson Space Center, in Houston, in the United States.

During the mission, participants will live and work in confined and isolated environments that replicate the conditions expected in future manned journeys into deep space.

The objective is to study the physical and psychological impacts of prolonged isolation and test technologies, equipment and protocols that could be used in real missions.

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The initiative is part of the Moea (Moon and Mars Exploration Analog) program, which brings together elements from the agency's previous projects focused on research into human adaptation in extreme environments.

Volunteers will use two simulated habitats: one representing a spacecraft during the trip and another functioning as an exploration base on the surface of another planet.

In addition to the routine of living in isolation, participants will carry out activities that simulate space operations, such as walking on Mars and traveling with a rover to exploration areas outside the main base.

Throughout the mission, researchers will monitor indicators of physical health, cognitive performance and team behavior in the face of resource limitations and the demands of a long-duration space mission.

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The data collected will support the development of future operations on the surface of the Moon, in addition to contributing to the planning of the first manned mission to Mars.

According to NASA, the information obtained will also be used by the agency's Human Research Program to improve strategies that keep astronauts healthy and prepared during prolonged space travel.

Those interested must go through a selection process that includes physical and psychological assessments, in addition to meeting specific training and physical condition requirements. The agency states that it is looking for candidates motivated to participate in an unprecedented experience and willing to contribute to research aimed at long-term space exploration.

The mission is part of NASA's preparations for future expeditions under the Artemis program, which aims to establish a continuous human presence on the Moon and use this experience as a basis for sending astronauts to Mars.

*Under the supervision of Thiago Félix

Source: CNN