Nasa’s Mock Mars Crew Completes 378-Day Mission Simulation

WHO:

Nature - Four engineers took part in the simulated Mars mission; Matthew Montgomery served as its science officer.

Nature - Montgomery is a hardware engineering design consultant and co-owner of a film production company. He had previously worked in controlled-environment agriculture.

NASA - The CHAPEA Mission 2 crew comprised research volunteers Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, James Spicer, and Matthew Montgomery.

WHAT:

Nature - The four-person crew completed a simulated Mars mission lasting more than a year, conducting science experiments, growing crops, and performing simulated “Marswalks.”

NASA - The crew completed 378 days in the simulated Mars habitat, without windows, sounds from the outside world, or real-time calls with family and friends.

Nature - Montgomery led crop-growing activities. The crew grew leafy greens, peppers, and tomatoes, and grew vegetables in a hydroponic garden.

Nature - The crew analyzed rock samples, identified minerals, and simulated core analysis to study Mars’s geologic history.

Nature - Crew-to-mission-control communications simulated Mars-Earth delays of 13–22 minutes. The crew also experienced a planned two-week communications blackout.

Nature - Montgomery said the crew prepared for about a month for the blackout, coordinating procedures, schedules, goals, and safety plans with ground teams.

Nature - Montgomery said the crew’s conflict was “very minimal” and described interacting with plant life as having cognitive and nutritional benefits.

WHERE:

Nature - The crew emerged from a 158-square-metre, 3D-printed habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

NASA - The crew left NASA’s Mars Dune Alpha habitat.

Nature - The crew conducted simulated Mars surface activities outside the habitat; it had previously trained together on a winter camping expedition in Wyoming.

WHY:

Nature - NASA’s extended simulations are intended to study how long-duration space missions, isolation, and limited resources affect astronauts’ health, well-being, performance, and productivity.

Nature - NASA will use the results to inform protocols for crewed Mars missions and future Moon trips.

HOW:

Nature - The crew spent five weeks together in pre-mission training and built teamwork through shared preparation and high-pressure scenarios.

Nature - The planned blackout simulated the loss of radio communications when the Sun blocks signals between Mars and Earth.

(UPDATED November 10, 2026 02:02 UTC)

Four volunteers completed NASA’s simulated Mars mission after spending 378 days isolated in habitat. They grew vegetables, studied rocks, and practiced Marswalks under delayed communications and blackout conditions. NASA will use the results to prepare crews for future Moon and Mars missions.