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A new Mars simulation mission is about to begin at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and for the first time, a British participant is among the crew preparing for the year-long experiment. Laura Marie, a UK-born pilot now working in the US, was selected from around 8,000 applicants to serve as one of six research volunteers in the 378-day mission inside the 158-square-metre Mars Dune Alpha habitat. While four “primary” crew members will enter the simulation in October, Marie is an alternate, ready to step in if needed.
The mission, part of NASA’s Chapea (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) program, is designed to mimic life on Mars and gather critical data on human physical health, psychology, and performance during long-duration spaceflight. Crew members will grow crops, carry out robotic operations, conduct simulated Mars walks, and test technologies intended for future missions, including assessing NASA’s space food system.
Marie, who holds a BA in philosophy and an MSc in aeronautics, said the mission is both exciting and challenging. Isolation, limited sensory experiences, and simulated communication delays with Earth are among the hurdles the crew will face. She emphasized the importance of team dynamics, expressing confidence in her ability to live and work closely with the other participants for over a year.
While the mission is a simulation, Marie sees it as a stepping stone toward future crewed missions to Mars, which NASA hopes to achieve in the 2030s. Passionate about space exploration, she said she would eagerly take the opportunity to travel to the red planet if it were ever offered, underscoring her commitment to being part of humanity’s journey toward becoming a multi-planetary species.
