NASA opens applications for year‑long Moon and Mars analog mission

NASA is recruiting volunteers for the Moon and Mars Exploration Analog, a simulated deep‑space mission that will last about a year. The program will begin no earlier than August 2027 at Johnson Space Center in Houston and will use two confined habitats – one replicating a spacecraft and the other a surface base – to mimic travel to and operations on the Moon and Mars.

Four participants, selected from U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 30‑55 with relevant science, engineering, or medical education, will live in isolated conditions, manage limited resources, conduct mock surface walks and rover trips, and support plant‑growth experiments. The mission combines elements of NASA’s HERA and CHAPEA analog projects to gather data on crew health, performance, technology, and procedures for future Artemis lunar bases and crewed missions to Mars.

Candidates must pass physical, psychological and technical assessments, meet height and language requirements, and be prepared for a multi‑day selection process. Data collected will feed into NASA’s Human Research Program and inform long‑duration mission planning.