posted 12-01-2016 12:30 AM               

Crews of four volunteers have lived inside HERA for simulated missions to an asteroid for upwards of 30 days. (Members of the collectSPACE community have been members of at least three HERA crews.)

Each HERA crew has had a mission patch to represent their time inside the habitat. The first ten crew patches can be seen here (photo credit the HERA X crew):

The HERA XI crew took inspiration from the Apollo 11 insignia:

posted 12-01-2016 12:35 AM               

As this marks the end of HERA’s Campaign 3, HRP is well underway in preparing for Campaign 4 which will begin in early 2017. Campaign 4 will extend the mission to 45 days.

posted 05-06-2017 02:31 PM               

NASA infographic for the first three HERA campaigns:

posted 09-15-2019 11:23 AM               

The 19th Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission "departed" on May 24, 2019 for a trip to Phobos, the larger of the two moons of Mars. HERA XIX was also known as C5M2 (Campaign 5, Mission 2).

The 20th Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission began on Aug. 16, 2019, marking the seventh simulation to last 45 days.

The 21st Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission began on January 24, 2020 and ends on March 9, 2020.

posted 06-18-2025 06:24 PM               

The 23rd Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission XXIII began on Jan. 28, 2022 and egressed on March 14, 2022.

The 24th Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission XXIV began on May 27, 2022 and egressed on July 11, 2022.

The 25th Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission XXV began on Jan. 27, 2023 and egressed on March 13, 2023.

posted 06-18-2025 06:25 PM               

The 27th Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission XXVII began on May 11, 2024 and egressed on June 24, 2024.

The 28th Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission XXVIII began on Aug. 9, 2024 and egressed on Sept. 23, 2024.

The 29th Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) analog mission XXIX began on Nov. 1, 2024 and egressed on Dec. 16, 2024.

posted 06-18-2025 06:25 PM               

HERA Patch Challenge

Design NASA's Next HERA Campaign Patch!
Submission Deadline | Wednesday, October 15, 2025

NASA, in collaboration with Space Center Houston, is calling on students to create a graphical patch that represents the goals of HERA’s Campaign 8 missions.

Beginning in 2026, four missions will take place inside HERA, all simulating a trip to the Moon. Each will have four volunteer crew members who live isolated and confined within HERA for 45 days.

Research volunteers live and work like astronauts during the missions, carrying out maintenance, operational, and scientific tasks. They will also experience simulated communication delays with HERA’s Mission Control Center.

Scientists assess how the environment affects the mental and physical health of participants. Resulting data helps NASA plan future human expeditions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Studies within HERA 8 will focus on the following themes:

• Crew autonomy with communication delays | On the International Space Station, astronauts have near-constant communication with mission control for guidance. However, Moon and Mars missions will involve communication delays, requiring crews to work more independently. Studies in HERA may focus on testing “smart” technologies, like augmented reality and artificial intelligence, to see how they can be optimized to assist crews in making decisions and solving problems during future deep-space journeys.

• Behavioral health and physiological effects of isolation and confinement | Spaceflight isolates crews from Earth, with limited sensory stimulation and exercise opportunities. Studies in HERA examine how this isolated environment affects physical and mental health. They also explore ways to counter any effects, such as enhancing exercise with sensory stimulation or other motivators.

• Teamwork | Cooperation is key to NASA’s missions, which often have crews from many national backgrounds. Studies in HERA can examine how cultural and linguistic differences affect team dynamics, communication, and performance in isolated, high-stress environments, aiming to improve teamwork across missions.

• Sleep Quality and Performance | Sleep quality is essential for astronaut performance. Studies in HERA examine how sleep affects cognitive function, mood, and physical performance, with crewmembers journaling their sleep patterns and their impact. The goal is to find strategies to improve sleep quality and manage disruptions on long-duration missions.

Students are encouraged to keep these themes in mind while designing their mission patch submission.

The Prize

Winners in each age category will receive a virtual tour of the HERA facility.

The grand prize winner will have the opportunity to collaborate with a professional NASA graphic designer to finalize their design.

This design will be prominently displayed on the HERA facility during all four Campaign 8 missions, which will take place in 2026 and 2027.