Gerrard Kaonga
A scientist who spent a year on the red planet has opened up about the 'absolutely exhilarating' experience and what she learnt in the process.
Okay, you got me. The scientist didn’t literally spend a year on Mars.
However, US navy microbiologist Anca Selariu spent a year on the closest thing NASA currently has to living on Mars.
Selariu is one of four NASA crew members who voluntarily spent 378 days isolated from the rest of humanity locked inside Mars Dune Alpha.
It's essentially a 1,700 sq ft 3D-printed habitat at Nasa’s Johnson Space Center in Houston built to replicate the living conditions of Mars.
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Through studying the scientists living on the habitat, it allows the space agency to get a better understanding of what it will be like when humanity eventually does get to the planet.
The habitat was made as realistic as possible and includes a greenhouse, medical area, exercise equipment and a lounge, as well as a small private bedroom for each of the volunteers, two bathrooms and a small 'outdoor' enclosure with red sand.
While it is impressive to manage to be so separated from friends and family for so long, Selariu is confident humanity will take first steps on the real Mars in her lifetime.
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She said: “Humans will be getting to Mars at some point in the future, and just the opportunity to participate in any way one can to help that happen, hopefully in our lifetimes, is beyond compare.
“I am truly in awe of everything, all the efforts that I’ve witnessed to make this dream a reality for all humans. And yes, I’ll be celebrating when we see the first step on Mars, knowing I contributed. It was an incredible honor and absolutely exhilarating.”
During their time there, the scientists had to grow their own food and Selariu said while doing this she got homesick.
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She continued: “To me personally, it was such a joy to see and touch a living, green thing, because that is something that you miss the most while you’re away from Earth.
"My connection to Earth, and the deep feeling of being a true Earthling, a living entity from the planet Earth, you really feel it very deeply into your core and you really understand what that means and how incredibly important that connection really is.”