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Inside the 3D-printed box in Texas where humans will prepare for Mars

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Summary

This June, four volunteer test subjects will spend a year locked inside a 3D-printed box at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, pretending to live on Mars in order to prepare for the potential mission to the Red Planet. The mission is part of the Artemis program, which is sending astronauts back to the Moon and launching a space station that will orbit the Moon and serve as a pit stop for Mars-bound missions. The crew members will have to simulate various parts of space exploration, and will be monitored closely for signs of physical and mental stress. The mission will help to inform Nasa about the impact that a year in isolation with limited resources has on human health before they send humans to Mars in the 2030s.

Q&As

What is the purpose of the 3D-printed box in Texas where humans will prepare for Mars?
The purpose of the 3D-printed box in Texas where humans will prepare for Mars is to simulate the physical and behavioral health of a crew in isolation in order to prepare for a potential mission to the red planet.

What experiments will the crew members be conducting while in the 3D-printed habitat?
The crew members will be conducting experiments, growing food, exercising, and conducting simulated missions in the "outdoor" portion of the habitat.

What criteria was used to select the four volunteer test subjects?
The four volunteer test subjects were selected using similar criteria to the astronaut corps, with advanced degrees in STEM fields and a physical and psychological profile suited for the experiment.

What data will NASA be collecting from the experiment?
NASA will be collecting data from the experiments conducted by the Chapea participants, as well as monitoring them closely for signs of physical and mental stress.

What precautions have been taken to ensure the success of the mission?
NASA has set the team up for success by selecting four volunteer test subjects using similar criteria to the astronaut corps, providing a limited food supply, and selecting two alternates just in case.

AI Comments

👍 This fascinating article provides an in-depth look at the steps NASA is taking to ensure astronauts are prepared for a mission to Mars. It's inspiring to see the effort and research that is being put into the mission to make it a success.

👎 This article fails to mention the ethical implications of sending volunteers to live in an isolated environment for a year. It's concerning that there is not a more thorough examination of this issue.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about a 3D-printed box in Texas where four volunteer test subjects will be spending a year pretending to live on Mars to see the impact it has on human health. They'll simulate the experience of a mission to the red planet, including resource restrictions, communication delays, and simulated "Marswalks" using VR technology.

Friend: Wow, that's really interesting! It sounds like a big step towards landing humans on Mars in the near future.

Me: Absolutely! This experiment is part of the Artemis program, which is sending astronauts back to the Moon and launching Gateway, a space station that will orbit the Moon and serve as a pit stop for Mars-bound missions. It's all part of the effort to get humans to the red planet by the 2030s. The experiment will also provide valuable insight into the physical and psychological effects of long-term space travel, which could be instrumental in designing future missions.

Action items

Research the Artemis program and Gateway space station to learn more about the mission to send humans to Mars.
Follow the progress of the Chapea experiment to learn more about the physical and mental health effects of long-term isolation.
Explore the potential of 3D printing to create structures on the Martian surface with Martian soil.

Technical terms

3D-Printed Box: A box that has been created using a 3D printer, which is a machine that can create three-dimensional objects from a digital file.
Simulated Mars Exterior: A simulated environment that is designed to look like the exterior of Mars.
Mars Dune Alpha: The name of the 3D-printed habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Crew Health Performance Exploration Analog (Chapea): A research project conducted by NASA to study the effects of long-term isolation and resource limitation on human health.
Stem Fields: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths.
Artemis Program: A NASA program that is sending astronauts back to the Moon for the first time since 1972.
Gateway: A space station that will orbit the Moon and serve as a pit stop for Mars-bound missions.
Analog Missions: Simulations of various parts of space exploration conducted on the ground.
Marswalks: Simulated missions completed by the Chapea participants in the Mars Dune Alpha habitat.