An Emirati pilot who underwent US Space Agency NASA’s 45-day simulated Mars journey has successfully completed the mission after a virtual reality (VR) “walk” on Mars’ surface.
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) on Tuesday announced the successful completion of phase 2 of the second analog study under the UAE Analog Programme, as part of NASA’s Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Campaign 7 Mission 2.
Emirati crew member Dr Shareef Al Romaithi, along with Jason Lee, Stephanie Navarro, and Piyumi Wijesekara, concluded their 45-day mission within the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, USA, after egressing from the facility at 2.20am (UAE time) on Tuesday, MBRSC said.
The mission, which began on May 11, involved scientific research and operational tasks designed to simulate space-like conditions on Earth. The unique three-story HERA facility provided an environment for studying how crew members adapt to isolation, confinement, and remote conditions, replicating the challenges faced during long-duration space missions.
Dr Al Romaithi is part of the second group of volunteers to participate in an analog study in HERA this year. The first phase of the second analog study of the UAE Analog Programme was completed on March 11. The third and fourth phases will begin August 9 and November 1, respectively.
Source: https://gulfnews.com/uae/marswalk-completes-uae-pilots-45-day-simulated-mars-journey-1.103282305