NASA CHAPEA Crew to Exit Yearlong Mars Simulation Oct. 31
NASA will stream the CHAPEA Mission 2 crew's exit from a 3D-printed habitat on Oct. 31, 2026, after 378 days simulating a Mars mission in Houston.
The story in focus
NASA says the four CHAPEA Mission 2 volunteers will leave their 3D-printed habitat at Johnson Space Center on Oct. 31, 2026, after 378 days of isolation simulating a Mars mission. Live coverage is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. EDT.
- Mission 2 began Oct. 19, 2025, and the exit marks 378 days in isolation.
- Crew members are Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, James Spicer and Matthew Montgomery.
- The 1,700-square-foot habitat simulated spacewalks, plant growing and habitat maintenance under communication delays and resource limits.
- NASA says collected data can aid food system design, crew time and Deep Space Network bandwidth planning for Artemis and Moon Base missions.
- Johnson Center Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway are slated to speak at the ceremony.
What happens at the exit
NASA announced that the four volunteers of CHAPEA Mission 2 will step out of the 3D-printed habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, after 378 days of isolation. The agency said live coverage of the departure is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. EDT and will stream on NASA Johnson's YouTube and social accounts.
Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, James Spicer and Matthew Montgomery, the crew members, will give remarks at the ceremony, NASA said. Johnson Center Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway are also listed to speak. News media were invited to watch on a screen outside the hangar and to record the crew exiting the building.
Why the simulation data matters
The second CHAPEA mission started on Oct. 19, 2025. Inside the 1,700-square-foot facility, the crew simulated Mars operations, including spacewalks, exercise, habitat maintenance and plant growing, while working under likely deep-space stressors such as communication delays, resource constraints and isolation.
According to NASA, health and performance data from the simulation can help develop methods to counter risks in human spaceflight for Artemis and future Moon Base missions. The agency said the data could inform food system design, crew time use, Deep Space Network bandwidth and other aspects of deep-space living. It added that the data could help flight doctors and psychologists strengthen medical care and behavioral support.
Next steps
NASA said media interested in attending in person or speaking virtually with the crew after the mission must contact the Johnson newsroom by 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. The agency did not announce a further CHAPEA mission in the release.
When is the CHAPEA Mission 2 crew scheduled to leave the habitat?
NASA scheduled the exit for Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, after 378 days of isolation, with live coverage beginning at 3 p.m. EDT. The crew entered the habitat on Oct. 19, 2025.
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