TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Biosphere 2 has always been associated with space and space exploration.
The facility is now home to a new University of Arizona program called CHaSE, which stands for Center for Human Space Exploration, and a new hermetically-sealed habitat that will simulate what what life for future astronauts on the moon and Mars may look like.
CHaSE designed to train aspiring astronauts to go into space. This is the first class to go through the three-day program.
CHaSE is a public/private partnership between the UArizona and aerospace company Uplift Aerospace.
"We're pushing everybody through from smoke and fire response, spacecraft egress and space suit operations," said Trent Tresch, founding director of CHaSE.
"Not only is it fun that we get to do it for commercial astronauts, but we're providing this opportunity for everyone," Tresch said.
The program has several prominent instructors including Sian Proctor. She piloted SpaceX's Inspiration4 last year -- the first all-civilian orbital mission to space.
"It's incredible. If you look at last year, commercial space flew the oldest individual, it flew the youngest individual, it flew [a] childhood cancer survivor, it flew me as the first female black pilot of a spacecraft," said Proctor.
"That's what's exciting. People who never thought that they would go to space, are now getting the opportunity to do so," Proctor said.
The six participants in the first class of trainees will leave the program Sunday with a CHaSE certification.
Space Analog for the Moon and Mars
Biosphere 2 was built in in the late 1980s to research self-sustaining space-colonization. Two missions in the 1990's had limited success.
Now, the University of Arizona is developing a smaller research facility, with the same focus.
They are constructing a facility called SAM, which stands for Space Analog for the Moon and Mars.
This hermetically sealed research center has living quarters, a pass-through airlock and a greenhouse, and project leaders say it's an updated version of the original Biosphere 2 prototype built in the 1980s.
"We've taken that prototype and we're renovated it and expanded it to include a workshop and crew quarters," said Kai Staats, Director of Research for SAM.
"We're in the process literally this week of finalizing, sealing the final pressure holes, so we can pressurize that vessel and once again live inside to demonstrate what it might be like to live on the moon or Mars," Staats said.
Once completed, teams of four can live within SAM from two weeks to a few months at a time.
SAM will also include a half-acre 'Mars yard' for pressure suit, tool, and rover tests.
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Pat Parris is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. He is a graduate of Sabino High School where he was the 1982 high school state track champion in the 800 meters. While in high school and college, he worked part-time in the KGUN 9 newsroom. Share your story ideas and important issues with Pat by emailing pat.parris@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.