45 Days To 'Mars' And Back: NASA Simulated Mission Wraps Up With Some Real Insights

An all-volunteer crew completed a 45-day simulated mission to Mars as part of NASA's HERA program, providing insights into challenges faced during long-term isolation and demanding work conditions.

HERA crew members (from left) Sarah Elizabeth McCandless, Brandon Kent, Erin Anderson, and Sergii Iakymov inside the analog environment at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Source : NASA

Mars Mission: An all-volunteer crew were on a simulated a mission to Mars, and "returned to Earth" on September 23, 2024, following 45 days of isolation inside a confined habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This mission, part of NASA’s Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) programme, contributes to critical research needed for humanity’s future deep space missions to the Moon and Mars, the space agency said.

According to NASA, the HERA missions, including this latest, provide valuable insights into how humans respond to long-term isolation, confinement, and demanding work conditions — challenges astronauts will face in remote environments like Mars. As NASA prepares for its next giant leap, these studies are considered essential in understanding how to best support human performance during deep space exploration.

This mission, dubbed Campaign 7 Mission 3, kicked off on August 9, 2024, with a ceremonial bell ringing, marking the crew's entry into the analog environment. Erin Anderson, one of the four crew members, expressed the team's dedication as they entered the habitat, telling HERA’s mission control: “We’re going to take good care of this ship of yours on our journey.”

Anderson is a structural engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia. The other three crew members were Sergii Iakymov, Sarah Elizabeth McCandless, and Brandon Kent.

Welcome back to Earth! 🌎

Our four member HERA crew just “returned” home after simulating a 45-day journey to Mars. Their experiences are helping @NASA understand how isolation & confinement affect crews on long journeys. pic.twitter.com/BvlHxb2T8M

— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) September 24, 2024

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45 Days On 'Mars': The Tasks And Challenge

Throughout the mission, the crew engaged in various tasks simulating real-world scenarios that astronauts may experience on Mars. They harvested plants, grew shrimp, and performed virtual reality walks and flew simulated drones on the Martian terrain, all while being monitored by NASA scientists. These tasks, designed to replicate the focus required for deep space missions, were integral to the studies being conducted, NASA said.

The crew holds up varieties of lettuce grown in hydroponic units inside HERA | Photo: NASA

One significant challenge the crew faced was communication delays with mission control, eventually reaching five minutes — a realistic simulation of the delays astronauts will encounter on Mars, which could be up to 20 minutes. The crew’s ability to develop autonomous workflows despite these delays is a critical aspect of the research being undertaken.

Reflecting on the mission’s end, the crew expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to NASA’s goals. As Brandon Kent noted: “We hope this vessel continues to serve as a safe home for future HERA crews.” 

NASA continues to seek volunteers for future HERA missions as part of its ongoing research into human space exploration. They should be "healthy, non-smoking volunteers, aged 30 to 55", and will be compensated for their participation, if they qualify after a physical and psychological assessment.