In Brief
  • National Geographic hosted a 360 degree tour of a test habitat where crew members of the Mars Society are simulating a Martian mission.
  • This mission is part of the larger Mars 160 mission designed to simulate the conditions and constraints of an actual mission to the Red Planet.

Facebook users got a sneak peek into the future when National Geographic hosted a 360 degree tour of a test habitat where crew members of the Mars Society are simulating a Martian mission. The crew just spent 80 days in the habitat and gave an exciting view into what life on Mars might look like.

This mission was a part of the larger Mars 160 mission designed to simulate the conditions and constraints of an actual mission to Mars. A team of seven crew members are participating in two 80-day excursions at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah (which you’ll see in the video) and then another 80 days at a research outpost in the Canadian Arctic.

During these simulations, crew members “will conduct a sustained program of geological, paleontological and micro-biological field explorations,” similar to the investigations that would be conducted on the Red Planet.

National Geographic is currently airing a miniseries, Mars, dealing with Martian exploration. You can catch the series finale on Monday, December 19, at 9/8c.

The Mars Society gives regular updates, including daily images, to Space.com.