Second CHAPEA Crew Begins Extended Mars Habitat Mission at NASA Johnson

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 26, 2025

NASA’s second CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) mission is underway with four volunteers – Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery, and James Spicer – beginning a 378-day simulated Mars stay inside a 1,700-square-foot 3D-printed habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The mission started October 19, 2025, and will conclude on October 31, 2026.

The crew will re