British Pilot Joins Crew Training for Year-Long Mars Simulation Mission

Published: 13 September 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk

For most, the idea of spending more than a year inside a simulated Martian habitat might sound like the premise of a science fiction reality show. Yet, for Laura Marie, a British-born pilot now working in the United States, it is a remarkable scientific opportunity that could contribute to humanity’s journey to the red planet. Marie has been selected as one of six research volunteers preparing for NASA’s second Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (Chapea) mission, a 378-day simulation inside the 158-square-metre Mars Dune Alpha habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Beating nearly 8,000 applicants, Marie joins a highly competitive cohort of astronauts-in-training, though she is designated as one of two alternate crew members. The four primary participants—Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery, and James Spicer—are scheduled to enter the habitat on 19 October, with Marie prepared to step in should any of them withdraw. Holding a BA in philosophy and an MSc in aeronautics, Marie described the selection as “such a huge opportunity,” adding that being part of the final crew was “extremely exciting.”

The Chapea missions are designed to simulate the challenges of a crewed Mars expedition, offering invaluable data on human health, psychology, and performance under prolonged isolation. Activities include cultivating crops, performing robotic operations, conducting simulated Mars walks, and testing technologies intended for eventual use on the Martian surface. NASA hopes the insights gained will also contribute to the development of its space food systems and broader preparations for future crewed missions to Mars.

Marie, who grew up in Devon before moving to the United States in 2016, said her fascination with space and NASA inspired her to apply. She noted that she deliberately avoided contact with participants from the first mission, which concluded in summer 2024, to ensure that her experience would be unaffected by prior knowledge. “I always had an interest professionally in working with NASA in some kind of capacity,” she said. “Everything kind of aligned. I saw that opportunity and I jumped for it.”

Training for the mission is scheduled to begin next week at the Johnson Space Center, although the crew has already undergone extensive preparation as part of the demanding selection process. Marie expressed confidence in the team dynamics, saying she would be comfortable “lock[ing] myself in a box with all of them.” Despite this, she acknowledged potential personal challenges, particularly the lack of natural sensations such as wind or the smell of grass, which she enjoys during outdoor activities.

Communication delays, designed to mimic the lag that astronauts would encounter when contacting Earth from Mars, will also present a unique challenge. Unlike the International Space Station, where real-time communication is possible, the Chapea crew will need to adapt to delayed responses from mission control. To maintain mental engagement, Marie plans to bring personal items such as a Rubik’s Cube, hoping to challenge herself during downtime.

Though the Chapea mission is a simulation, Marie’s ambition extends far beyond the habitat. She expressed enthusiasm for the possibility of joining an actual crewed mission to Mars, saying, “One hundred per cent I would take that seat on that ride if it were ever offered to me. I think the whole multi-planetary species concept is where we’re heading, and anything I can do to be a part of it—I’m just happy to be involved.”

The second Chapea mission exemplifies NASA’s careful and methodical approach to human space exploration. By replicating the physical, technological, and psychological conditions of a Mars mission, researchers hope to gather essential data that will inform plans for crewed missions to the planet in the 2030s. For Laura Marie, participation in the mission represents both a personal milestone and a contribution to humanity’s enduring quest to explore beyond Earth.