I lived on “Mars” for a year. That’s how it was

As one of the few other places in the solar system where conditions suggest that life may once have existed, albeit in a simple form, what we learn about the red planet will tell us more about our Earth’s past and future. Getting there is one thing, surviving is another.

“Knowing what this mission was about — taking humanity to the next giant leap — was definitely one of the highlights, along with working with so many amazing experts at NASA,” said Jones, who responded to NASA’s 2022 “Martians Wanted” ad .

“The lows were what you might expect: missing time with family and friends. I miss the people I really care about. Births, deaths and marriages? All of the above.”

Analog missions are NASA’s way of field-testing the unique challenges of living and working in deep space, using environments on Earth that are physically similar—either real or man-made.

It takes place analogously in the Arctic and Antarctic, on the ocean floor, in deserts and on volcanic lava fields, looking for hazards and developing safety or mitigation strategies. The crew must know how to repair and maintain equipment, come up with solutions, grow food, stay healthy and maintain positive relationships.

Astronauts train in a full-scale spacecraft mockup, underwater in the $27 million Neutral Buoyancy Lab—one of the largest indoor pools in the world—and aboard a zero-gravity aircraft dubbed the “vomit comet,” whose roller coaster flight pattern simulates weightlessness. space.

Preparing for future interplanetary exploration includes testing new technologies, robotic equipment, vehicles, habitats, communications, infrastructure, and the effects of isolation and confinement on human health and behavior.

Radio signals from Mars, where NASA intends to send humans in the 2030s, take up to 23 minutes one way, even when traveling at the speed of light. This means that by the time an astronaut reports an emergency, he may already be dead before ground controllers respond.

Jones will never know if the communication delays that were simulated between the inhabitants of Mars Dune Alpha and the outside world may have affected his skill at the Uno card game he played with his children via e-mail. “I don’t know if any of the games we played could have been subject to cheating at the time,” he laughed.

No one is saying if there were any fiery clashes between crew members – but a psychological predisposition to interpersonal conflict is among the characteristics NASA looks for during the selection process.

Cheape’s crew is selected using criteria that match NASA’s criteria for astronaut candidates. Part of the process involves finding recruits with the “right stuff” to live and work alongside others in extreme environments without cracking, collapsing or crashing.

Requirements also included a master’s degree in a Stem field such as engineering, mathematics or computer science, or a minimum of 1,000 hours of piloting an aircraft.

Jones, an emergency physician from Springfield, Illinois, specializes in “pre-hospital and austere medicine” — a high-stress area of ​​patient care where access to resources can be limited, raising the stakes in life-and-death outcomes. He is also an associate professor of emergency medicine.

NASA said it selected Jones for his ability to solve “unique challenges” and “his expertise in problem solving and effective communication in a time-sensitive, resource-constrained environment.” Crew chief Kelly Haston, a human disease research scientist, was selected alongside Jones; Anca Selariu, microbiologist in the US Navy; and Ross Brockwell, civil engineer.

Jones braved darkness and tears during 378 days in prison, during which the crew had an intense research schedule that included scientific studies, robotic testing and “Marswalks” into a simulated surface environment, wearing pressure suits and helmets.

“I did all my crying on the way in and out – I’m kind of an emotional speaker,” he said, referring to his entry into the post on June 25, 2023, and his exit on July 6, when he choked. during his farewell and his return to Earth.

Their daily meals resembled those on the International Space Station, which food scientists and nutritional biochemists plan to minimize “diet fatigue” that can dampen morale and lead astronauts to eat less than they should. Specially packaged foods that can be awakened by adding heat and water have been supplemented with fresh vegetables. They were grown inside the habitat and provided psychological support.

Brockwell made a basketball hoop to improve the crew’s free time, and Jones relieved the stress by taking up art, surprising himself with how well some of his sketches turned out.

When Jones heard during the mission that a family member back home had received a worrisome medical diagnosis, he felt guilty and lamented not being able to be with them. “I would like to be present at the appointments as a doctor and a family member, to ask questions and be supportive,” he said.

“But I got such great support from NASA. I was a bit worried that taking care of my family might be a point of stress or weakness for me – and they really turned out to be a strength.”

While temperatures on Mars can drop as low as -128°C, the habitat was temperature-controlled for comfort. A bigger test came two days after the crew emerged from Mars Dune Alpha as Hurricane Beryl hit Houston.

“On entry it took a bit of time to adjust to life without daylight, so on exit it was a great feeling to get back into daylight and feel the radiation. Houston just could have done without it being so dramatic,” Jones said.

The biggest thing he learned, he said, was “how the small steps we’re taking can be taken to get to the next giant leaps in space exploration.”

When Jones returned home, his top priority was “to hug my family and let them know how much I miss them and how much I care for them.” But another is to treat yourself. “I’m actually a hamburger type. I’ve been out for over a week and a half and still haven’t had one.’