160-Day Mars Mission Simulation Kicks Off in Utah

The first half of an ambitious 160-day-long simulated mission to Mars is getting underway. Seven people from six different countries are setting up shop today (Sept. 24) at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), a facility in the Utah desert operated by nonprofit group The Mars Society. For the next 80 days, the explorers will conduct a series of experiments and exploration campaigns to hone the skills and strategies that will be needed by real-life Red Planet pioneers in the future.