NASA seeks volunteers for year‑long Moon and Mars analog mission

The U.S. space agency NASA is recruiting four participants for a 12‑month Moon and Mars Exploration Analog (MMEA) program that will begin no earlier than August 2027 at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Volunteers, who must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents aged 30 to 55 and meet height, health and language criteria, will live in isolation for about a year, split into three phases: a mock spacecraft simulating travel to the Moon or Mars, a surface habitat where they will grow crops, monitor health and practice spacewalks, and a final return‑to‑Earth segment using the same spacecraft.

The program aims to test and validate materials, protocols, technologies and human performance for long‑duration deep‑space missions. A NASA spokesperson said, “Volunteer research participants contribute greatly to the knowledge base by helping NASA characterize the risks and test countermeasures to enhance human performance during long duration space exploration missions.” The study will also examine how crew members adapt to the longer Martian day (a sol) and its effects on sleep and performance. Applicants must pass physical and psychological assessments and possess astronaut‑like qualifications in engineering, biological, physical sciences or mathematics.