"A British woman is preparing to spend the whole year on Mars - but without ever leaving terra firma. Laura Marie, from Devon, will pass 378 days in a simulated version of conditions on Earth's neighbouring planet, at Nasa's Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. The airline pilot, who immigrated to the US in 2016, is one of six selected out of a whopping 8,000 volunteers to take part in the American research."
"They will grow crops, test technology destined for Mars and simply walk around in the 3D-printed Mars Dune Alpha habitat, measuring 158 square metres (1,700 sq ft). The main crew of four - Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery and James Spicer - are set to enter the experiment on October 19. Ms Marie, meanwhile, is one of two 'alternate' participants, ready to take over should any of them need to drop out."
"Despite her determined mindset, though, there is one particular home comfort the Brit said would be hard to leave behind - the Great Outdoors. 'I'm a big nature girl. I spend a lot of time outside,' she confessed to the Guardian. And in the conditions of airless space and barren Martian rocks, Ms Marie admitted she would miss feeling the wind in her hair - and the smell of grass."
Laura Marie, a British airline pilot from Devon who moved to the US in 2016, will spend 378 days inside a simulated Mars habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston. She was chosen as one of six participants from 8,000 volunteers and serves as one of two alternate crew members ready to replace any primary participant. The crew will grow crops, test Mars-bound technology, and live in the 3D-printed Mars Dune Alpha habitat measuring 158 square metres. Training begins next week and the main crew of four will enter on October 19. The program gathers data on physical health, mental performance, and space food adaptation for future Mars missions.
Read at Mail Online
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