Four research volunteers will soon participate in the NASA one -year simulation of a Mars mission within a habitat at the Johnson Space Center of the agency in Houston. This mission will provide the fundamental data of NASA to shed light on the human exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery and James Spicer enter the Habitat Mars Alpha 1,700 square feet on Sunday, October 19 to start their mission. The team will live and work as astronauts for 378 days, concluding its mission on October 31, 2026. Emily Phillips and Laura Marie are the alternative crew members of the mission.
Thanks to a series of land -based missions called Chapea (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog), carried out in 3D printed housing, NASA aims to assess certain human health and performance factors before future Mars missions. The crew will undergo limitations of realistic resources, equipment failures, delays in communication, isolation and isolation and other stressors, as well as extravaghic activities with simulated high tempo. These scenarios allow NASA to make informed transactions between risks and interventions for long -term exploration missions.
“While NASA is preparing for Artemis to the crew missions, Chapea and other analogues on the ground help to determine what capacities could better support future teams to overcome the challenges of human health and performance of life and functioning beyond the resources of the earth – all before we sent humans to Mars,” said Sara Whiting, to Nasa Johnson.
The crew members will carry out scientific research and operational tasks, including simulated March, cultivating a vegetable garden, robotic operations, etc. Technologies specially designed for Mars and the exploration of deep space will also be tested, including a drinking water distributor and diagnostic medical equipment.
“The simulation will allow us to collect data on cognitive and physical performance to give us an overview of the potential impacts of the restrictions of long -term resources and missions to Mars on the health and crew performance,” said Grace Douglas, principal researcher of Chapea. “In the end, this information will help NASA make informed decisions to design and plan a successful human mission in Mars.”
This mission, facilitated by the NASA human research program, is the second one -year surface simulation led by Chapea. The first mission ended on July 6, 2024.
The human research program pursues methods and technologies to support safe and productive human space trips. Thanks to applied research carried out in laboratories, simulations and aboard the international space station, the program studies the effects that space flight has on human bodies and behaviors to keep astronauts in good health and mission ready.
Ross Elder,, Commander
Ross Elder, by Williamstown, Virginia-Western, is a major and experimental test pilot in the United States Air Force. At the time of his selection, he was director of operations of the 461st Flight Test Squadron. He piloted more than 35 military planes and accumulated more than 1,800 hours of flight, including 200 hours of combat, mainly in the F-35, F-5E / Ex, F-16 and A-10C. His flight test experience focuses on the expansion of the envelope, his team to the crew, artificial intelligence, autonomy, mission systems and the modernization of weapons.
Elder obtained a Baccalaureate in Sciences in Astronautical Engineering of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and commanded as an Air Force Officer after obtaining his diploma. He obtained a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs and a master’s degree in flight engineering from the US Air Force School at Edwards Air Force in California.
Ellen Ellis,, Doctor
Ellen Ellis, from North Kingstown, Rhode Island, is a colonel and agent of acquisitions in the spatial force of the United States. It is currently a leader in the main equipment to the Directorate of Communication Systems of the National Recognition Office (NRO). She is responsible for commissioning commercial solutions for the cloud and traditional information technologies and the construction of modernized data centers for the NRO. Previously, she was responsible for intercontinental ballistic missile operations and GPS satellite engineer, and has also developed useful geospatial intelligence charges and soil processing systems.
She obtained a baccalaureate in aerospace engineering at the University of Syracuse in New York and holds four master’s degrees, including a master’s degree in Appronaping Systems of the Naval Postgraduate School in California, and a master’s degree in Emergency Sciences and Disaster Management from the University of Georgetown in Washington.
Matthew Montgomery, science officer
Matthew Montgomery, of Los Angeles, is a consultant in a material engineering design who works with technological startups to develop, market and evolve their products. Its areas of interest include LED lighting, robotics, controlled environmental agriculture and integrated control systems.
Montgomery obtained a baccalaureate in science and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Florida Centrale. He is also founder and co -owner of Floating Lava Studios, a film production company based in Los Angeles.
James Spicer, flight engineer
James Spicer is technical director of the aerospace and defense industry. His experience includes the creation of radio and optical communications networks by satellite; Space data relay networks for human space flights; Position, navigation and synchronization search; and practical design of spacecrafts, integration and tests.
Spicer has obtained a baccalaureate in science and a master’s degree in aeronautical and astronautics, and has a scientific communication notation of the University of Stanford in California. He also holds licenses as a commercial glider and pilot.
Emily Phillips
Emily Phillips, from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, is captain and pilot of the United States Marines. It currently serves as a before air controller and air officer attached to an infantry battalion stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Center in Twentynine Palms, California.
Phillips obtained a baccalaureate in the computer sciences of the US Naval Academy in Annapolis and was ordered as a bodies of the Marine Corps after having graduated. She frequented the piloting school, winning her naval aviator wings and qualifying as a F / A-18C Hornet driver. Phillips has finished several deployments in Europe and Southeast Asia.
Laura Marie
Born in the United Kingdom, Laura Marie immigrated to the United States in 2016. She is a commercial airline driver specializing in flight security, currently operating passenger flights in Washington.
Marie began her aviation career in 2019 and accumulated more than 2,800 hours of flight. She holds a baccalaureate of arts in philosophy and a master’s degree in aeronautics of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. In addition to her air transport driver license, she also has the flight instructor and advanced ground instructor licenses. Apart from the cockpit, Marie devotes her time to mentor and support the budding pilots as they sail in their careers.
