NASA’s CHAPEA Crew Emerges After Year‑Long Mars Simulation
The four‑person CHAPEA team stepped outside for the first time in over a year on Oct. 31, 2026.
NASA’s four‑member Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) crew emerged from their simulated Mars habitat on Oct. 31, 2026, posing for a group photo after more than a year underground.
The team—Matthew Montgomery (left), James Spicer (middle left), Ross Elder (middle right) and Ellen Ellis (right)—spent the duration testing life‑support systems, tending to crops, managing limited resources, coping with communication delays, and conducting extravehicular activities.
Insights from their experiences will help NASA design its future Moon Base and plan for missions on Mars.
NASA photographer James Blair captured the moment, providing a visual reminder of the human element behind long‑duration space research.
