NASA unveils Mars habitat on Earth 

If you were somehow wondering what is the latest on the space front, it is the state-of-the-art Mars-simulation room that NASA has built on Earth to offer a glimpse of how human habitat may look like in the red planet. Dubbed as the Mars Dune Alpha, it is a 1700 square feet space having four small rooms, a gym and filled with red sand to give the ideal feel. The US space agency plans to keep volunteers in it for a year at a time to examine how life will be like on upcoming mission to Earth’s neighbouring planet.  

The facility has been built as part of three planned experiments called the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analogue or CHAPEA and is situated in NASA’s research base in Houston, Texas. In the first trial that is all set to begin this summer, four astronauts will enter the habitat. NASA will monitor their physical and mental well-being from outside to better analyse the strength and courage involved to survive in such a prolonged isolation. It will also help the space agency figure out the kind of resources that need to be used if they intend to colonise Mars as an alternative home planet. The experiment will also help understand the mass limitations on the red planet. 

Apart from the above-mentioned features, Mars Dune Alpha will also comprise of two bathrooms, a vertical farm to grow their own salad (fruits and vegetables), a medical room, a relaxation room and multiple workstations. In addition, there will be a weather station, a brick-making machine (in case people want extra space) and even a tiny greenhouse. Although still located inside the Houston hangar, an airlock will ensure that Mars Dune Alpha is completely isolated from the rest of the earthly world.  

Sources cite that the gym will have a custom-made treadmill that will help the inhabitants walk suspended from straps to simulate the lower gravity of Mars. Otherwise, they would just have to walk in circles for hours, which will hamper their health, as revealed by NASA’s Behavioural Health and Performance Laboratory. The treadmill will also allow the volunteers to take long trips outside to gather samples, data and even develop the infrastructure. While the volunteers still haven’t been chosen, NASA has revealed that employees with backgrounds in engineering will gain the most emphasis.   

NASA will also regularly test the crew’s response to stressful situations, including insufficient water supply and potential equipment failures. Interestingly, the Mars-simulation habitat was 3D printed and can shed light on its future uses to build habitats on other planets and the lunar surface.