For an entire year, six volunteers lived in complete isolation inside a dome on the slopes of Mauna Loa, Hawaii, in a NASA-funded experiment designed to simulate the conditions of a Mars mission.
This was part of the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) project, which aims to understand the psychological and logistical challenges of long-duration space travel.
The Experiment
The HI-SEAS crew endured 365 days in a geodesic dome, cut off from direct human contact.
Their only communication with the outside world came in the form of delayed emails, simulating the 20-minute lag that would occur between Earth and Mars.
Whenever they left the habitat, they had to wear full space suits, mimicking the conditions of an actual Martian expedition.
This is NASA’s longest Mars simulation to date, surpassing previous missions that lasted up to eight months.
However, it still falls short of the Mars-500 experiment, a joint effort by Europe and China, where participants endured 520 days of simulated space travel.
The Psychological and Technological Challenges
Surviving in extreme isolation is not just a technical challenge but also a psychological one.
The HI-SEAS habitat measures just 11 by 6 meters (36 by 20 feet), meaning the crew had to live in extremely close quarters for an entire year.
Mission commander Carmel Johnston described the experience:
“It is kind of like having roommates that are always there, and you can never escape them. If you can’t imagine that, just picture never being able to get away from anybody.”
To combat boredom and maintain morale, the crew engaged in activities like salsa dancing, playing the ukulele, and reading books.
As French astrobiologist Cyprien Verseux put it, “We were always in the same place, always with the same people. My advice to future crews? Bring books.”
Can We Actually Live on Mars?
One of the most exciting aspects of this experiment was testing survival techniques that could be vital on Mars.
For instance, German researcher Christiane Heinicke worked on methods to extract water from arid terrain, a breakthrough that could be a game-changer for Martian colonization.
“Showing that it works—you can actually get water from seemingly dry ground—means this technology could be used on Mars,” Heinicke explained.
The crew also survived on canned and powdered food, closely mimicking what astronauts would eat on an actual Mars mission.
The Verdict: Is a Mars Mission Possible?
According to Verseux, the answer is yes:
“A mission to Mars in the near future is realistic. I think the technological and psychological obstacles can be overcome.”
This is a bold statement, given that NASA and other space agencies still have major hurdles to clear before sending humans to Mars.
However, the HI-SEAS experiment provides valuable insights into what it takes to live and work in such an extreme environment.
What’s Next?
NASA is already planning new long-term HI-SEAS missions to further explore the effects of prolonged isolation.
The findings from this study will be published in the coming months, shedding more light on how humans adapt to life in confined and remote conditions.
And for the six volunteers? After a year of simulated space travel, they’re finally getting a well-earned vacation in Hawaii—without the space suits.
