A Year in Hawaii

Who could argue with an itinerary that puts you in Hawaii for a year? Add a nice secluded location with beautiful views. And then throw in a few companions who can enjoy it all with you.

This is what you would get, according to one "tourist":

 It is kind of like having roommates that just are always there and you can never escape them so I'm sure some people can imagine what that is like and if you can't then just imagine never being able to get away from anybody.

That tourist is NASA mission commander Carmel Johnston as quoted in a BBC article.  She and her five teammates (three men and three women) have just completed a year on the northern slope of Mauna Loa in Hawaii replicating the harsh realities of living on the surface of Mars.  It is all part of a NASA program called Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS). It represents the longest period of time a US-sponsored team has tested the human conditions on Mars.  Russia had its own similar experiment years ago that lasted longer

While NASA still has plenty of spacecraft and equipment issues to resolve before a real mission to Mars, it is important to understand the human element before we set out.  We already know robotic rovers can last for years on the Martian surface.  But how about humans? The results of HI-SEAS are encouraging, yet just the beginning.