NASA's second simulated Mars mission crew completes 378-day isolation in Houston

On October 31, 2026, four NASA crew members emerged from a 378-day simulated Mars mission at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The crew, including medical officer Ellen Ellis, commander Ross Elder, science officer Matthew Montgomery, and flight engineer James Spicer, lived in a 1,700-square-foot 3D-printed habitat since October 19, 2025. They performed tasks like growing crops in simulated Martian soil and dealt with communication delays. NASA aims for a human Mars mission in the 2030s, with a lunar return planned earlier. The crew will undergo two weeks of post-mission evaluations.