A human mission simulation to Mars has been organized by the Institute for BioMedical Problems (IBMP) with the collaboration of the European Space Agency (ESA). The Italian Space Agency (ASI) Call for Proposals is based on the Announcement of Opportunity (AO) previously released by ESA (AO-07-Mars500) and addressed to all the Member State Space Agencies. Two preparatory ground simulations of a duration of 100 days, in physical isolation and confined environment, will be performed. These studies will precede a 500-day human mission simulating the voyage and exploration of Mars.

The experimental facility is the Ground-based Experimental Facility (NEK) located in Moscow at the IBMP (Institute of Bio-Medical Problems). ASI is evaluating with IBMP the possibility of participating in this program on a bilateral basis. The goal of this Call for Proposal is to select a small national program focused particularly, but not exclusively, on the following items:

• nutrition,
• telemedicine,
• microbial contamination,
• mental performance and psychological countermeasures