Mars Society Announces Crew 19 Mission to Devon Island in 2026

The Mars Society has announced that Crew 19 will be deployed to the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island in Nunavut, Canada, for a multi-week mission starting in early July 2026. The expedition will take place during the 2026 Arctic field season, offering a unique environment for testing technologies and studying human performance in conditions similar to those on Mars.

Crew 19, led by Trevor Jahn of the Aerospace Corporation, will conduct a range of research activities, including exploration science, environmental monitoring, and technology demonstrations. This will be the fourth consecutive year that the Mars Society’s Flashline facility focuses on the challenges of living and working in extreme environments, contributing to knowledge that supports future human exploration of Mars.

The mission aligns with objectives outlined in NASA’s DARES strategy, covering areas such as extreme environment operations, climate resilience, and analog astronaut research. The crew will operate under simulated exploration conditions, conducting scientific investigations in one of Earth’s most Mars-like regions. Their findings will help develop best practices and operational procedures for future planetary missions.

An advance team will arrive before the crew to install upgrades to heating and electrical systems, improve ventilation, and deploy a sensor package to monitor harmful gases. Flashline has been a key platform for exploration research for over two decades, bringing together scientists, engineers, and explorers from around the world. The Crew 19 mission continues this legacy, bridging Earth-based research with the realities of future space exploration.

The Mars Society will soon release the full crew roster and details on the research projects and technology demonstrations planned for the mission. Updates on the expedition will be shared as the team prepares for its journey to Devon Island.