NASA unveils Mars habitat on Earth for year-long experiments with 4 volunteers.
NASA has unveiled a 3D-printed Mars habitat, called "Mars Dune Alpha," for future Mars expeditions. The facility, located in Houston, Texas, will be used for three planned experiments called the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analogue (CHAPEA). Four volunteers will begin the first trial this summer, during which NASA plans to monitor their physical and mental health to better understand humans' fortitude for such a long isolation. The habitat has four small rooms, a gym, and a lot of red sand. The volunteers will live inside a 1,700-square-foot (160-square-metre) home, which includes two bathrooms, a vertical farm to grow salad, a room dedicated to medical care, an area for relaxing, and several workstations.