The countdown has begun.
The countdown has begun.
Six researchers who have spent more than 100 days inside a remote habitat to simulate a long-duration space journey are finally returning to Earth.
About 700 applicants vied for six spots in the HI-SEAS mission, which began in April and will conclude Tuesday, on the slopes of Mauna Loa. These Earth-based researchers have been living and working like astronauts, including suiting up in space gear whenever they venture outside a simulated Martian base and cooking meals from a specific list of dehydrated and shelf-stable food items.
The HI-SEAS study, led by Cornell University and the University of Hawaii at Manoa, is analyzing new types of food and novel food preparation strategies to keep astronauts well-nourished for space exploration. The work is funded by the NASA Human Research Program.
The food study is designed to simulate the living and working experience of astronauts on a real planetary mission and to compare two types of food systems — crew-cooked vs. pre-prepared — as thoroughly as possible in the context of a four-month Mars analog mission.
“One possible solution to handle menu fatigue would be to allow astronauts to cook their own food instead of eating pre-prepared food day after day,” says crew member Angelo Vermeulen, one of the six researchers inside the HI-SEAS habitat.
At the end of the study, researchers will announce the winners of the HI-SEAS recipe contest. Winning recipes in a number of categories will be featured on the HI-SEAS website.
The public is invited to follow along with the “Meals for Mars” videos, researcher blogs, and test recipes featured at hi-seas.org/ or on Twitter (@HI_SEAS) or Facebook.