ORLANDO, Fla. – NASA is looking for applicants who may want to know it’s like to live on Mars, without actually launching into space.
On Friday, the space agency announced that it is looking for people to participate in the next yearlong, simulated Mars surface mission.
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The second of three planned ground-based missions called Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, or CHAPEA, will help NASA plan for human exploration on the Red Planet, according to a news release.
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If selected, you will be part of a four-person crew working and living in a 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston called the Mars Dune Alpha.
According to NASA, the habitat “simulates the challenges of a mission on Mars, including resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, and other environmental stressors.”
Part of the job requires simulated spacewalks, robotic operations, habitat maintenance, exercise, and crop growth.
According to the release, applicants should be healthy, motivated U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are non-smokers, 30-55 years old, and proficient in English for effective communication between crewmates and mission control.
That’s not all – NASA said crew selection will follow additional standard criteria for astronaut candidate applicants.
“A master’s degree in a STEM field such as engineering, mathematics, or biological, physical or computer science from an accredited institution with at least two years of professional STEM experience or a minimum of one thousand hours piloting an aircraft is required,” the release read in part.
You can apply for the program by clicking here. The deadline for applicants is April 2.