CHAPEA Mission 2 Crew Reflects After 378 Days on Simulated Mars

science & techNASA

CHAPEA Mission 2 Crew Reflects After 378 Days on Simulated Mars

the gist

Four NASA research volunteers left the Mars Dune Alpha habitat on October 31 after 378 days of simulated Mars surface life. The 3D-printed habitat, about 1,700 square feet, was kept without windows, outside sounds or real-time calls with family. The crew completed the agency's second yearlong Mars surface simulation. The mission tests how people cope with isolation, confinement and communication delays on a future trip to Mars.

so what

Missions like this show what a crewed Mars trip could demand psychologically and logistically. The data will help NASA plan habitats, routines and support for astronauts on much longer journeys.

more on this

background

The Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) is a series of missions conducted by NASA simulating missions on Mars. It consists of three missions, the first of which began on June 25, 2023. The mission is contained in a hangar at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Efforts to mimic a real Mars mission include a 22-minute delay in communications, resources limitations, simulated equipment failures, and simulated spacewalks.

From Wikipedia: Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CC BY-SA 4.0) ↗

see

NASA/Bill Stafford, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Credit: NASA

Image: NASA

source: NASA ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗