Mars... for work rest and play

Brit-born pilot lines up to live on 'fake' red planet

- BY SASKIA ROWLANDS

A BRITISH woman could discover life on Mars... without having to leave Earth.

Laura Marie is among volunteers hoping to live 378 days in a simulation of the planet at Nasa's Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.

If she is selected, Laura, who is a commercial pilot and instructor, will enter the 1,700sq ft imitation habitat on October 19 to live and work as if she were a real-life astronaut.

Brit-born Laura, who moved to the US in 2016, is on a list of reserves, which means she will get to take part if someone drops out.

On its website, Nasa says of Marie: "Outside the flight deck, she dedicates her time to mentoring and supporting aspiring pilots as they navigate their careers."