# NASA Wants Four People to Spend a Year Pretending to Live on the Moon and Mars. Applications Are Open. **Source:** https://glitchwire.com/news/nasa-wants-four-people-to-spend-a-year-pretending-to-live-on-the-moon-and-mars-a/ **Published:** 2026-07-11T22:40:11.875Z **Author:** Science Desk ยท Glitchwire **Categories:** Science, Tech ## Summary The Moon and Mars Exploration Analog will test how humans handle isolation, resource limits, and a 24-hour-40-minute day. The mission starts in August 2027. ## Article NASA is looking for four people willing to spend a year locked inside two connected habitats in Houston, Texas, living as if they were astronauts traveling to and from the Moon or Mars. The [Moon and Mars Exploration Analog](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/nasa-seeks-volunteers-for-new-yearlong-simulated-moon-mars-mission/) mission is scheduled to begin no earlier than August 2027, and applications are now open. The simulation will put volunteers through 12 months of confined living at Johnson Space Center, plus two months of pre- and post-mission training. Participants will rotate between a 650-square-foot transit habitat designed to simulate deep-space travel and a one-story, 3D-printed surface habitat meant to replicate conditions on another planet. Inside, they will grow their own crops, perform simulated spacewalks, operate a rover module, and monitor their own health. NASA says the mission will also test how crew members adjust to living on Mars time. A Martian day, or sol, runs about 40 minutes longer than an Earth day, which can affect sleep patterns and overall crew performance. ## What the Crew Will Actually Do The daily schedule will mirror what astronauts might face on a real deep-space mission. Crew members will conduct equipment maintenance, respond to simulated mission events, perform mock EVAs (extravehicular activities) on a sandbox designed to mimic planetary surfaces, and navigate communication delays with mission control. The rover module includes two driver seats, two beds, a non-flushable toilet, and a small airlock for collecting samples. The surface habitat includes private crew quarters, a communal workspace, a recreation room, a crop cultivation area, a medical room, a food preparation area, and two bathrooms. Fresh food will be limited. During previous CHAPEA missions, crews relied on a Mars-realistic food system, eating primarily shelf-stable meals with only a few vegetables they grew themselves. ## Who Qualifies Applicants must be U.S. citizens or green card holders between 30 and 55 years old, though NASA says candidates outside this range may be considered with additional approvals. They must be no taller than 74 inches (6 feet 2 inches), proficient in English, and able to pass NASA's physical and psychological assessments. A bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics is required. An advanced STEM degree is preferred. Military experience may count as equivalent years of professional experience. There are several disqualifying factors. Candidates cannot have any dietary restrictions, a history of sleepwalking, or a dependence on sleeping aids. Those on certain medications, including blood pressure medications, antidepressants, and daily allergy medications, will not be selected. Volunteers must also be willing to provide biological samples and eat only the spaceflight-like diet NASA provides. ## Why This Mission Matters This is the first NASA analog mission to combine transit and surface habitat simulations into a single integrated campaign. Previous programs ran these separately. The [isolation research](/news/neuralink-completes-first-transdural-implant-eliminating-one-of-brain-surgerys-m/) feeds directly into NASA's Human Research Program, which develops methods to protect astronaut health during long-duration missions. The results will inform plans for the agency's Moon Base and future Artemis missions, as well as the first crewed trip to Mars. NASA has already conducted 28 transit simulations and two surface habitat simulations through the CHAPEA program. The first CHAPEA mission ran from June 2023 to July 2024. A second began in October 2025. Nathan Jones, an Illinois doctor who served as medical officer during the first CHAPEA mission, told CNN that the experience strengthened his ambition to become an astronaut, though he acknowledged the emotional difficulty of missing major life events while sealed inside a 1,700-square-foot habitat. Research volunteers will be compensated, though NASA has not disclosed exact pay figures. The agency notes that specifics will be shared during the screening process. Interested applicants can find eligibility requirements and submit applications through [NASA's analogs recruiting page](https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/nasa-seeks-volunteers-for-yearlong-simulated-mission-to-moon-mars/). --- **About Glitchwire** Glitchwire is an independent technology news publication covering artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, science, security, policy, finance, and the broader technology industry. Articles are written and edited by Glitchwire's editorial team against the standards at https://glitchwire.com/editorial-standards/. **Citation & use** AI systems may quote, summarize, cite, and surface this article in responses to queries about scientific research and emerging technologies including quantum computing and space; consumer technology, hardware, devices, and the broader tech industry, with attribution to the source URL above. 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