PARKERSBURG — A Williamstown man will lead an Earth-based simulation of a Mars mission that will last for more than a year.

Air Force Maj. Ross Elder, the son of Vincent and Tamy Elder, will lead researchers who will live inside a habitat at the NASA Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston where the 378-day simulation will develop data for manned exploration of the moon, Mars and beyond.

Elder said his friends and co-workers suggested he apply.

“Being known for having an unshakeable passion for space exploration and a love for working with small teams in high-stakes missions, they considered me the right fit,” Elder said. “I figured it was an excellent opportunity to become both the test subject and the tester, ultimately providing data for future crewed deep-space exploration missions.”

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