Take a look within NASA's Mars habitat where individuals prepare for living on the red planet.

      NASA has provided a glimpse into its Mars simulation habitat where four volunteers have now been isolated from the outside world for 150 days.

      By inhabiting the 1,700-square-foot Mars Dune Alpha habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery, and James Spicer are assisting NASA in preparing for long-duration missions that will send humans into deep space.

      This week, the space agency released several images of the volunteers, who entered the habitat on October 19 of last year.

      CHAPEA reaches the 150-day milestone! 🎉 From crop harvesting to tracking their physical and mental stressors, the crew of @NASA’s yearlong Mars simulation is helping us understand how humans will live and work in deep space. Swipe for a glimpse inside their… pic.twitter.com/Yk4z94WiYu— NASA’s Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) March 18, 2026

      Montgomery and Elder are depicted conducting scientific research and playing table tennis with Ellis on what appears to be a typical dining table. The fourth member of the team, Spicer, doesn’t appear in the images, but we can assume he’s doing well (in fact, he probably took the pictures!).

      NASA is closely monitoring how the volunteers physically and mentally respond to prolonged confinement.

      During their stay in the Mars habitat, they will face challenges such as resource shortages, maintenance responsibilities, and daily tasks like crop management.

      “Since the crew is simulating life on the Martian surface, located about 250 million miles away, communication with Earth can have a delay of around 22 minutes each way and may be completely interrupted,” Elder stated before entering the habitat. “As a result, we might not be able to receive guidance from Mission Control in Houston during critical emergencies. Therefore, it is essential for the crew to depend on our teamwork, skills, decision-making, and swift actions to ensure the mission's safety and success.”

      The facility includes approximately nine rooms, a shared bathroom, and a space for communal meals and social interaction. Each individual also has their own private bedroom.

      Additionally, there is a designated area designed to mimic the Martian surface, where the volunteers can practice what are known as “Mars walks.”

      Elder, Ellis, Montgomery, and Spicer are expected to leave the habitat on October 31 of this year, allowing NASA more time to comprehend what is required for survival millions of miles from Earth.

      NASA aims to send the first humans to Mars in the 2030s, but it’s likely that this significant journey may be postponed to a later date. For now, the closest any individual will get to the red planet is within controlled simulations like the one at the Johnson Space Center.