Four People Set To Inhabit Ultra-Realistic Mars-Like Base On Earth
To prepare humanity for life on Mars, four people would soon move into what is being called the most realistic Mars base ever created. The Space Analog for the Moon and Mars (SAM) base is a hermetically sealed enclosure located at the University of Arizona.
On April 26, 2023, four individuals - Cassandra Klos, Commander and Crew Photographer; Dr. Eiman Jahangir, Medical Officer; Bailey Burns, Engineer; and Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen, Communications officer, Accessibility officer - will begin scientific study of the artificial habitat to better understand the scope of human well-being outside of Earth, the SAM website stated.
What SAM will teach scientists
What makes SAM different from other bases is that it's completely pressurised and hermetically sealed, just like a real base on the Moon or Mars would be. This means that each time the "astronauts" leave the 3D printed enclosure to go "outside," they have to wear pressurised spacesuits and go through airlocks.
Also read:?To Make Mars Travel More Efficient, NASA Will Test Nuclear Rocket Engines After 50 Yrs
While the "outside" bit is not pressurised, it is designed to appear like Mars and will eventually get a harness system to imitate gravity on Mars, New Scientist reported. The SAM website states that "pressure suits, rovers, and drones can be tested over varied terrain and obstacles. A massive synthetic lava tube with skylight will support other-world cave exploration and a gravity off-set rig to provide the experience of exploring on foot in lower gravitational fields."
The four individuals will undertake simulated spacewalks, habitat maintenance activities, robotic operations, exercise, and crop growth during their stay, NASA had stated. In addition, they will also be thrown challenges like limited resources, isolation, and failure of equipment to assess how humans would respond to the same crises on Mars.
Also read:?Curiosity Rover Helps Scientists Find Potential Source Of Water On Mars
This current analog mission is part of three missions that will help scientists better understand the needs of a potential human colony on Mars. The second mission will take place in 2025 and the third one will happen in 2026.
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