Qualla: HI-SEAS https://qualla.com/hi-seas en-us © 2026 Bendyline Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:21:09 GMT Qualla serial false Qualla support@bendyline.com yes https://qualla.com/_m/8/e/3/r/hi-seas-wp/hero-small.webp Qualla: HI-SEAS https://qualla.com/hi-seas HI-SEAS: Introduction https://qualla.com/hi-seas/ Photo credit Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center, Public domain. The recommendation that emerged from the first simulated Mars mission in Hawaii was not about radiation shielding or oxygen recycling. It was about spices. After 120 days inside a geodesic dome on the lava fields of Mauna Loa, mission commander Angelo Vermeulen and his five crewmates reported that the key to maintaining morale during extended space travel was better seasoning, higher-fiber foods, and the psychological comfort of familiar dishes. The finding was entirely serious. NASA's Human Research Program had funded the experiment precisely to answer the unglamorous questions that will determine whether human beings can survive a two-year round trip to Mars without losing their minds.

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Image: Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center | Public domain

]]> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/8/e/3/r/hi-seas-wp/8e3r-hi-seas-intro.mp3 0:06 1 full HI-SEAS: Mars on Mauna Loa https://qualla.com/hi-seas/ Photo credit Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center, Public domain. HI-SEAS, the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation, occupies one of the most Mars-like environments on Earth. At roughly 8,200 feet on Mauna Loa's northern slope, the terrain is a desolate expanse of reddish-brown lava rock with virtually no vegetation, eerily reminiscen...

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Image: Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center | Public domain

]]> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/8/e/3/r/hi-seas-wp/8e3r-hi-seas-mars-on-mauna-loa.mp3 0:06 2 full HI-SEAS: Life Inside the Dome https://qualla.com/hi-seas/ Photo credit Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center, Public domain. The habitat is a two-story geodesic dome with a ground floor containing a communal kitchen, dining area, shared workspace and laboratory, an exercise area, and a small bathroom. The second floor holds six private rooms, each barely large enough for a bed and a desk. A shipping co...

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Image: Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center | Public domain

]]> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/8/e/3/r/hi-seas-wp/8e3r-hi-seas-life-inside-the-dome.mp3 0:06 3 full HI-SEAS: Missions and Milestones https://qualla.com/hi-seas/ Photo credit Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center, Public domain. Six NASA-funded HI-SEAS missions took place between 2013 and 2018. The first two ran for 120 days each, studying food preferences and psychological adaptation. HI-SEAS III, beginning in October 2014, was the first eight-month mission. HI-SEAS IV, which lasted a full year from Aug...

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Image: Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center | Public domain

]]> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/8/e/3/r/hi-seas-wp/8e3r-hi-seas-missions-and-milestones.mp3 0:06 4 full HI-SEAS: From Mars to the Moon https://qualla.com/hi-seas/ Photo credit Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center, Public domain. After NASA's formal involvement concluded, the dome found new purpose. The International MoonBase Alliance now operates the facility, hosting a series of shorter missions under different campaign names. The EMMIHS campaigns, beginning in 2019, focused on geological exploration of...

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Image: Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center | Public domain

]]> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/8/e/3/r/hi-seas-wp/8e3r-hi-seas-from-mars-to-the-moon.mp3 0:06 5 full HI-SEAS: What the Dome Teaches https://qualla.com/hi-seas/ Photo credit Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center, Public domain. The most important discoveries from HI-SEAS are not technical but human. The missions demonstrated that crew selection and interpersonal compatibility matter as much as engineering for long-duration spaceflight. Food variety, personal space, meaningful work, and the ability to ma...

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Image: Les Bossinas of NASA Lewis Research Center | Public domain

]]> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/8/e/3/r/hi-seas-wp/8e3r-hi-seas-what-the-dome-teaches.mp3 0:06 6 full