Mars Exploration Analog (MEA) Countermeasures for Communication Delays

The project under the Mars Exploration Analog (MEA) Countermeasures for Communication Delays seeks to understand how artificial communication delays—mirroring those between Earth and Mars—impact crew workload, performance, team dynamics, and decision-making during simulated mission phases. It evaluates two specific countermeasures designed to alleviate these effects using multimodal data collection methods that assess cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses. The goal is to identify which strategies most effectively preserve operational efficiency and crew cohesion under the stress of prolonged communication lag. Findings from this research will inform the development of practical guidelines and a decision-making map to guide future mission communication protocols and autonomy systems for deep space exploration. Conducted under the auspices of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the work takes place in Boulder and targets applications in human spaceflight readiness. The procurement is classified under NAICS code 541715 for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences, with point of contact information available through the provided email addresses for further inquiries.