After Over a Year of Isolation, Four American Volunteers ‘Return from Mars’

After 378 days in isolation at a simulated Mars habitat in Houston, Texas, four American volunteers “returned to Earth” on the 6th.

The two male and two female volunteers exited the Mars simulation habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center at 5 PM Eastern Time on the 6th, concluding the first mission of NASA‘s Mars simulation crew project, CHAPEA. CHAPEA stands for Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog.

A video released by NASA shows the volunteers leaving “Mars” with smiles on their faces, waving to the crowd that welcomed them “back.”

According to AFP, one of the volunteers, Nathan Jones, who served as the “medical officer” for this mission, said, “I hope I don’t cry in front of so many people.” He became tearful as he spotted his wife in the crowd.

Another volunteer, Ross Brockwell, who served as the “flight engineer,” said participating in the Mars simulation crew project was a “wonderful experience,” adding, “I really hope this helps us understand what it will truly be like to set foot on Mars.”

The volunteers entered the Mars simulation habitat, named “Mars Dune Alpha,” on June 25th last year. This habitat is a 158-square-meter living module constructed using 3D printing technology. NASA has stated that future space exploration settlements might be built using 3D printing technology to save costs.

Each volunteer had a private small bedroom and shared a common living room with a TV. The simulated habitat also included an office area, medical area, kitchen, bathroom, as well as recreation and fitness areas.

The latest news reported that during the more than a year of isolation, the four volunteers did not leave “Mars” but were able to communicate with family and friends. However, communication conditions were also simulated to resemble those on Mars. For example, a text message sent would only be received after a 22-minute delay.

NASA stated that the volunteers “simulated Mars walks multiple times,” planted and harvested crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and leafy greens to supplement their diet, conducted various biological and physical experiments, and performed maintenance on the simulated habitat and some of its equipment.

NASA’s Mars simulation crew project plans to conduct three phases, with the next two phases scheduled to start in 2025 and 2026, respectively.