NASA Seeks Volunteers for Year-Long Mars Life Simulation

The American space agency "NASA" has announced that it is "looking for four enthusiastic volunteers for a year-long life simulation on Mars." NASA noted that "starting from spring 2025, four volunteers will spend 12 months in 'Mars Dune Alpha' at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, which is a 160-square-meter simulation site set up as a model for an envisioned research station on Mars." The program will simulate the challenges that a mission to Mars might face, including resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, and other environmental stresses. The crew's duties are expected to include spacewalk simulations, robotic operations, maintenance of their living space, physical exercise, and crop cultivation. According to NASA, applicants must hold a degree in natural sciences, be between the ages of 30 and 55, be "healthy and motivated," non-smokers, and either U.S. citizens or permanent residents, as well as proficient in English. Participants in the mission will receive compensation.