NASA’s Simulated Mars Crew Marks One Year Inside Habitat

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasas-simulated-mars-crew-marks-one-year-inside-habitat/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nn202642 After a year inside a simulated Mars habitat, the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, or CHAPEA, Mission 2 crew is preparing to complete its 365-day journey. Crew members Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery, and James Spicer entered their 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat on Oct. 19, 2025, and have operated as though they were on the Red Planet, growing crops, managing limited resources, navigating communication delays, and conducting suited extravehicular activities on a simulated Martian surface. The crew will exit the habitat on Saturday, Oct. 31, marking the conclusion of the yearlong mission simulation. Live coverage begins at 3 p.m. EDT.