NASA plans to send astronauts to Mars sometime in the 2030s, but before take-off, the space agency will observe the effects of a four-person crew staying in a simulated Mars habitat for one year.
Four volunteers will begin the first trial this summer, during which NASA plans to monitor their physical and mental health to better understand humans' fortitude for such a long isolation
The facility, created for three planned experiments called the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA), is located at the US space agency's massive research base in Houston, Texas.