An actual journey to Mars could take about nine months. One of the astronauts’ first tasks would be to use a 3-D printer and other tools to build their home base. 

NASA is trying to simulate the Mars experience as closely as possible. The CHAPEA base resembles what one on Mars might look like. It was even built using a 3-D printer. It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, workstations, and more. It is smaller than half the size of a basketball court.

An actual journey to Mars could take about nine months. One of the astronauts’ first tasks would be to build their home base. They would use a 3-D printer and other tools.

NASA is trying to simulate the Mars experience as closely as possible. The CHAPEA base resembles what one on Mars might look like. It was even built using a 3-D printer. It has four bedrooms. It also has two bathrooms, workstations, and more. The base is smaller than half the size of a basketball court.

The CHAPEA team is dealing with many of the same problems a crew would face on Mars. Astronauts who travel to the Red Planet would have enough packaged goods to last for years. But fresh fruits and vegetables wouldn’t survive the trip. So the astronauts would have to grow their own. In November, the CHAPEA crew managed to harvest its first crop of tomatoes and lettuce. 

Communicating with the outside world is a challenge too. If Jones has a question for NASA, he has to wait more than 40 minutes for a response. That’s how long it would take to send messages back and forth between Mars and Earth.  

NASA didn’t re-create the outside conditions on Mars. The average temperature there is a frosty -81 degrees Fahrenheit. But the CHAPEA base does have a large “sandbox” for the team to explore. The crew also walks for miles on treadmills. They wear virtual reality headsets that display images of the Martian landscape. Before these “Mars walks,” they put on spacesuits—just as astronauts would on Mars. 

A crew on Mars would face many problems. The CHAPEA team is dealing with many of the same problems. Astronauts who travel to Mars would have enough packaged goods to last for years. But fresh fruits and vegetables wouldn’t survive the trip. So the astronauts would have to grow their own. In November, the CHAPEA crew grew its first crop of tomatoes and lettuce. 

Communicating with the outside world is a challenge too. If Jones has a question for NASA, he has to wait more than 40 minutes for a response. That’s how long it would take to send messages back and forth between Mars and Earth.  

NASA didn’t re-create the outside conditions on Mars. The average temperature there is a frosty -81 degrees Fahrenheit. But the CHAPEA base does have a large “sandbox” for the team to explore. The crew also walks for miles on treadmills. They wear virtual reality headsets. The headsets display images of the Martian landscape. Before these “Mars walks,” they put on spacesuits, just as astronauts would on Mars. 

NASA is closely watching the CHAPEA crew. A big focus is on how the team deals with living in isolation for so long. NASA is also studying how the crew gets along with each other in such a small space. For Jones, the hardest part has been being away from his friends and family.  

“I really miss them,” he says.

Still, Jones is grateful to be a part of the mission, which wraps up in July. He hopes to inspire kids to want to travel to Mars.

“Maybe someone reading this could even go there someday,” Jones says. 

NASA is closely watching the CHAPEA crew. A big focus is on how the team deals with living in isolation for so long. NASA is also studying how the crew gets along with each other in such a small space. For Jones, the hardest part has been being away from his friends and family.  

“I really miss them,” he says.

Still, Jones is grateful to be a part of the mission. It wraps up in July. He hopes to inspire kids to want to travel to Mars.

“Maybe someone reading this could even go there someday,” Jones says. 

1. Why does the author point out that the CHAPEA base was built using a 3-D printer?
2. The article says that the CHAPEA team is facing some of the same problems that astronauts on Mars would face. Describe two examples.
3. What is the section “Far From Home” mostly about?

1. Why does the author point out that the CHAPEA base was built using a 3-D printer?
2. The article says that the CHAPEA team is facing some of the same problems that astronauts on Mars would face. Describe two examples.
3. What is the section “Far From Home” mostly about?