Answer · confidence: partial

Are Moon trips helping us practice for Mars, and how close are we?

Research question: What stepping-stone missions, such as trips to the Moon, are being used to test the skills needed for Mars, and how far along are they?

The records show that the JAXA pressurized rover and ASI habitat are described as early contributions to a sustained lunar presence under NASA's Artemis campaign, and the document does not say they test skills for Mars ¹. Because of mass limits and short mission durations, these designs use open-loop life support that must be resupplied with oxygen and water from Earth ². The SIRIUS isolation experiments, which simulate a lunar orbit or a Moon stay and follow the Mars-500 project, began in 2017 and have continued since then ⁴⁵⁸. Mars-500 lasted 520 days with six subjects in a closed habitat meant to approximate a real Mars flight ⁶, while AMADEE24 is a Mars analog simulated in Armenia rather than a Moon mission ³. A 1988 NASA study treats a lunar outpost as a step toward early Mars evolution ⁷, and Chang'e 8 was originally scheduled for around 2029 at the lunar south pole ¹⁰, but the records do not show its current progress ¹⁰. The newest facts date from 2026 ¹².

Checked 2026-10-22. Only documented and supported facts are used.

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[1] supported

The JAXA pressurized rover and ASI multi-purpose habitat are described as early contributions toward a sustained lunar presence under NASA's Artemis campaign. The document does not mention Mars or say they are testing skills for Mars.

"The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) pressurized rover (PR) and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) multi-purpose habitat (MPH) are early contributions to achieving a sustained lunar presence through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA’s) Artemis campaign."

Cost Variability and Sensitivities of Life Support Resupply and In-situ Resource Utilization for Early Lunar Habitation (2026)

[2] supported

Mass constraints and limited mission durations have pushed both the JAXA rover and ASI habitat toward open-loop life support that must be resupplied with oxygen and water from Earth.

"Mass constraints and limited mission durations have driven both concepts toward open-loop life support architectures requiring resupply of oxygen and water from Earth."

Cost Variability and Sensitivities of Life Support Resupply and In-situ Resource Utilization for Early Lunar Habitation (2026)

[3] supported

The document describes AMADEE24 as an analog mission simulating Mars, conducted in Armenia, rather than a Moon mission.

"Geologic Mapping for the AMADEE24 analog mission to Mars simulated in Armenia."

Geologic Mapping for the AMADEE24 analog mission to Mars simulated in Armenia. (2025)

[4] supported

The SIRIUS project simulates a spaceflight in lunar orbit or a stay on the Moon, and it follows the Mars-500 project.

"главной целью которого являлось исследование особенностей адаптации человеческого организма к условиям изоляции в гермообъекте, имитирующей космический полёт по окололунной орбите или пребыванию на Луне . Проект «SIRIUS» является закономерным продолжением проекта «Марс-500»."

Изоляционный эксперимент

[5] supported

The first SIRIUS isolation experiment was conducted in 2017.

"Первый эксперимент под названием SIRIUS Архивная копия от 10 апреля 2021 на Wayback Machine был проведён в 2017 году."

Изоляционный эксперимент

[6] supported

The Mars-500 experiment lasted 520 days with six subjects in a closed habitat, designed to be as close as possible to a real Mars flight with return to Earth.

"На протяжении 520 суток шестеро испытуемых находились в замкнутом гермокомплексе. Эксперимент был максимально приближен к реальному космическому полёту на Марс с возвращением на Землю."

Изоляционный эксперимент

[7] supported

The study lists a lunar outpost mission described as a step toward early Mars evolution, so the Moon is treated as a stepping stone in the Mars program plan.

"LUNAR OUTPOST TO EARLY MARS EVOLUTION-MISSION"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 19890007336: Office of Exploration: Exploration studies technical report. Volume 2: Studies approach and results (1988)

[8] supported

Since 2017, the Institute of Biomedical Problems' isolation experiments have been conducted within the SIRIUS project.

"С 2017 года изоляционные эксперименты института медико-биологических проблем проводятся в рамках проекта «SIRIUS»."

Изоляционный эксперимент

[9] documented

The study includes a lunar observatory mission in its mission descriptions.

"LUNAR OBSERVATORY-MISSION DESCRIPTION"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 19890007336: Office of Exploration: Exploration studies technical report. Volume 2: Studies approach and results (1988)

[10] supported

Chang'e 8 was originally scheduled to launch around 2029 to the lunar south pole, where it was to form a basic lunar south pole research station together with Chang'e 7.

"原计划于2029年前后发射，在月球南极莫顿环形山（英语： Mons Mouton ） [ 註 2 ] 着陆，与嫦娥七号组成中国月球南极的科研站基本型。"

嫦娥八号

[11] supported

Chang'e 8 was the first Chinese probe in the construction phase of the International Lunar Research Station.

"嫦娥八号也是国际月球科研站建设阶段中国方面的第一个探测器"

嫦娥八号