For anyone who has ever wondered whether they could handle life on another planet, NASA is offering a chance to find out – well, sort of.The US space agency is looking to recruit four participants for its Moon and Mars Exploration Analog (MMEA), a yearlong simulation program that is designed to replicate traveling and living on the Moon and Mars, it said in a press release earlier this month.While it may not be quite the real deal, volunteers will be in spacelike conditions, living inside confined habitats and carrying out tasks just as astronauts would, such as growing crops, looking after their health and replicating spacewalks.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe 12-month program begins no earlier than August 2027 and will be based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.A NASA spokesperson told CNN that the research program would help reduce any risks astronauts may face when flying to space and landing on Mars.Crew members will have to grow their own crops and vegetation, similar to the CHAPEA Mission 1, pictured. – NASA”Volunteer research participants contribute greatly to the knowledge base by helping NASA characterize the risks and test countermeasures to enhance human performance during long duration space exploration missions,” the spokesperson said.NASA said the project will also study how crew members adjust to living on Mars time. A Martian day, known as a sol, is about 40 minutes longer than a day on Earth, a difference that could impact sleep and other health and performance issues.AdvertisementAdvertisementApplicants must be a US citizen or green ca …
