By Richard Tew/NASA Correspondent for The Post Newspaper
NASA is set to start the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) mission in the next couple of months and recently selected its crew.
The mission will feature a crew of four who will live in a habitat designed to simulate living conditions on Mars. The habitat is located at the Johnson Space Center.
The 1,700 square foot abode includes a 3D printed reproduction of the surface of Mars to simulate what the view of the “red planet” might look like.
The habitat is made of “lavacrete,” a proprietary blend of construction materials by ICON, a company which, according to their website, specializes in 3D printed home construction. It will also contain virtual reality systems to further emulate the Martian environment, one the crew will be living in for one year.
Mission Commander Kelly Haston, works in the biomedical sciences field and will lead the mission. Flight Engineer Ross Brockwell, is a structural engineer and works as a public works administrator. Medical Officer Nathan Jones is a board-certified emergency medicine physician specializing in prehospital and austere medicine. Science Officer Alyssa Shannon is an advanced practice nurse.
“I have always been intrigued by the biology questions NASA has been grappling with,” said Haston. “I have already had a little bit of interaction with some of those problems…”
Haston said after seeing a listing for the project and its requirements, she felt it might be a good fit given her experiences and skills in the medical field.
Shannon says it was a story on the news in August 2021 which piqued her interest.
“It hit multiple boxes for me,” said Shannon. “As a child, I absolutely dreamed of being a Mars colonist”
Soon after she learned about CHAPEA, Shannon checked on NASA’s site for requirements and discovered she was in the age range, had the education and experience required to apply to be a member of the crew.
“I applied and honestly never expected to hear back,” said Shannon.
Months after the crew submitted applications came a first round of medical tests and interviews. After candidates were selected, they were flown to JSC for a tour and further interviews and meetings before the members of the crew of four were selected.
In addition to the main crew, there are also two alternate crew members should one of the crew have to leave the project.
Along with simulating the Martian landscape, the crew will also be studied for the effects of isolation and rigors of a protracted mission.
“On a mission like this, you are obviously going to be limited to the food you eat, the items you have and the friends you have both at work and personal,” said Hatson. “It will be quite a big endeavor in terms of the types of experiments we will run.”
Hatson says the crew will be growing their own food, trying to maintain a normal life with habits. They will also be performing simulated space walks and will experience the delay of communication, something that happens as spacecraft travel further and further from Earth. The crew will also undergo medical experiments.
Both Hatson and Shannon said two of the biggest challenges will be limited social interaction with anyone outside the habitat and limited communication with family over the 365 day mission.
“I’m spending a lot of time with family and loved ones to prepare myself for the time away,” said Shannon.
To learn more about CHAPEA, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/chapea
Photo cutline: CHAPEA Mission Commander Kelly Haston (L) and Science Officer Alyssa Shannon (R) are preparing for an upcoming year-long research mission where they, along with two other crew members, will be living in a habitat at JSC designed to simulate life on Mars. Photo by NASA.
When he’s not writing on NASA, Richard Tew teaches Irish dance to all ages in Clear Lake. Learn more at www.tewirishdance.wordpress.com.
