NASA reported on October 19 that four crew members had spent a year inside a Mars-simulation habitat in Houston. Their exit is scheduled for October 31.
The crew entered the habitat on October 19, 2025, for what the agency describes as a 378-day mission. It is the second mission in CHAPEA, the agency's Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog project.
The 3D-printed habitat measures 1,700 square feet and is at Johnson Space Center. Crew activities have included cultivating crops, working with limited supplies and conducting spacesuit exercises on a mock Martian surface.
Flight engineer James Spicer and science officer Matthew Montgomery are part of the four-person team. Its commander is Ross Elder, while Ellen Ellis serves as medical officer.
NASA said family communication during the experiment has been by email, with messages subject to a simulated Mars communications delay.
Researchers have been preparing to process measurements of the crew's health and performance. NASA says the data could help assess how limits on food and exercise systems affect future missions, including work on the Martian surface. The agency also wants to develop support for crews facing message delays reaching 45 minutes in each direction.
Michael Stenger, the Human Research Program's chief scientist, said researchers are studying medical and psychological care under the communication constraints of a year-long mission.
After leaving the habitat, the crew will undergo two weeks of evaluations and debriefings with NASA scientists. The agency plans to stream the October 31 exit ceremony online.