What Mars Academy USA does

Mars Academy USA (MAU) is a private California LLC founded in 2016 (some materials cite 2018) that operates the first commercial analog astronaut training academy in the United States. The company designs and delivers simulation-based experiential learning programs using a portfolio of 'exponential technologies' — VR/AR, 3D printing, telemedicine, robotics, drones, and blockchain — to prepare participants for future commercial spaceflight and Mars surface operations. Its training infrastructure centers on the patent-pending Mobile Modular Mars Integrated Basecamp Training Simulation System (MIBTS), a mobile modular habitat architecture used at facilities in the Mojave Desert, Soledad Canyon, and downtown Los Angeles, with austere analog mission deployments to Nepal, Everest Basecamp, Kilimanjaro, the Arctic, and Antarctica under the NEAMAE PROJECT.

MAU's core offerings span three fidelity tiers — General Mission Training (low-fidelity 7–8 day programs at US$2,500 per participant), mid-fidelity missions (4–6 weeks at US$4,800–US$6,000 per participant), and high-fidelity austere expeditions at US$8,000 per participant — plus specialized Mars Medics space-medicine missions (US$1,000 plus US$300 administration fee), SimEVA simulation extra-vehicular activities (MEVA, GEVA, AEVA, CEVA, NEVA-VR), and an MAU Virtual Academy with VR/AR online curricula introduced in late 2020. The customer base is concentrated in four primary segments: medical and aerospace professionals, scientific researchers, university students and aspiring astronauts, and space enthusiasts, augmented by extreme-environment professionals such as mountaineers and wilderness medicine practitioners.

The business runs predominantly on direct-to-consumer mission fees (US$1,000–US$8,000 per participant) via the company website, supplemented by an emerging subscription-style virtual academy and select institutional partnerships (Texas A&M University SEDS, Hi-on-Life Adventures, Space Surgery Institute). Marketing relies on academic conference presence (ISSRD, NSRC, AsMA, IAC), NASA-affiliated events such as the Space App Challenge, organic Facebook-led community activation around individual crew missions, and founder-led speaker engagements. Co-founders Susan Ip-Jewell (President/CEO), Nicholas Jewell (CIO), and Emmy Jewell (Director, Education Outreach & PR) lead the company alongside Jay Velasco (CMO/Sales) and Atul Kaushal (Business Development & Finance); no institutional venture or private-equity backing is documented.

Name

Mars Academy USA

Legal name

Mars Academy USA, LLC

Website

https://marsacademyusa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Mars Academy USA (MAU) is a US-based commercial analog astronaut training academy operating low-, mid-, and high-fidelity Mars-analog simulation missions and VR/AR curricula for medical professionals, researchers, students, and space enthusiasts worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Astronaut Training Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthcare & Clinical Simulation (Surgery, Nursing, EMT, Patient Interaction) (EDAFAJAC), VR-Based Skills Training Simulations (Soft Skills, Customer Service, Leadership) (EDAFAJAA), Digital Labs, Simulations & Virtual Practicals (Non-XR) (EDAFACAF), Drones, UAVs & Aerial Robotics Programs (EDAMADAJ)

Keywords

• Analog astronaut training
• Space medicine training
• VR/AR astronautics simulation
• Simulation-based learning
• Mars analog missions

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Analog Astronaut Training Mission Fees: One-time fees per participant for attending analog astronaut training missions at various fidelity levels (low, mid, high). Pricing varies by mission type, duration, and location from US$2,500 to US$8,000 per participant.
2. Mars Medics Mission Programs: Specialized space medicine training missions with additional participation and administration fees.
3. Online VR/AR Training Programs: Virtual online academy offering training curriculum modules starting late 2020.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mars Academy USA is a commercial analog astronaut training academy that delivers fully immersive, simulation-based missions for individuals seeking hands-on preparation for future space exploration. The company runs multi-fidelity mission programs (low, mid, high) at Mars-analog environments including a Mojave Desert basecamp, Soledad Canyon, and austere global sites (Nepal, Everest, Kilimanjaro, Arctic, Antarctica), integrating VR/AR, 3D printing, telemedicine, robotics, drones, and gamification into its curriculum. Participants pay per-mission fees and progress through Mars Medics space medicine tracks, SimEVA extra-vehicular activities, S.T.E.A.M.E.D workshops, and the online MAU Virtual Academy.

Product overview

Mars Academy USA is a commercial astronautics training organization offering a multi-tiered platform of analog astronaut simulation programs. The core offerings include General Mission Training (low-fidelity in-person simulations), Mars Medics Mission (space medicine-focused training), and the NEAMAE Project (austere high-fidelity expeditions). Supporting the core programs are: MAU Virtual Academy (online training modules), MAU Astronautics VRAR Training (virtual/augmented reality programs), Let's Get S.T.E.A.M.E.D Workshops (indoor educational programs), SIM EVA activities (MEVA, GEVA, AEVA, CEVA, NEVA-VR), and Internal/External Research Projects. The portfolio uses exponential technologies including VR/AR, 3D printing, telemedicine, robotics, drones, and blockchain to prepare participants for future space exploration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NEAMAE PROJECT: High-altitude austere analog astronaut missions to extreme environments including Nepal Himalayas, Everest Basecamp, Kilimanjaro, Arctic, and Antarctica.
• Mars Medics
• Let's Get S.T.E.A.M.E.D
• MAU Virtual Academy
• MAU Astronautics VRAR Training
• SimEVAs

Products and services

• General Mission Training Fully immersive, in-person, real-time analog astronaut simulation missions where crew teams live, work, and collaborate at Mars-analog environments on Earth (Mojave Desert basecamp, Soledad Canyon, Vasquez Rocks). Low-fidelity short-duration (7-8 days) and mid-fidelity missions priced from US$2,500 to US$6,000 per participant, targeting aspiring analog astronauts, students, and STEAM learners.
• Mars Medics Mission Specialized analog astronaut missions focused on space medicine, health and wellness, biotech/biomedical innovations, astro-wellness, space food production, and nutrition. Integrates VR/AR, 3D printing, CRISPR, telemedicine, robotics, and drones. Pricing is US$1,000 participation fee plus US$300 (non-refundable) administration fee, with installment plans available. Targets medical professionals, aerospace physicians, and space medicine practitioners.
• NEAMAE Project (Austere Analog Missions) High-fidelity austere analog astronaut expedition program deploying crews to extreme Mars-analog regions (Nepal at 10,000-19,000 ft including Everest Basecamp, Kilimanjaro, Arctic, Antarctica) at US$6,000-$8,000 per participant. Comprises medical professionals, scientific researchers, and explorers with mountaineering and wilderness certifications. Conducted in partnership with Hi-on-Life Adventures.
• MAU Virtual Academy Online virtual training academy offering MAU's analog astronaut curriculum modules via digital platform, making training accessible to participants anywhere globally. Targets aspiring analog astronauts and individuals interested in innovation and entrepreneurship.
• MAU Astronautics VR/AR Training Virtual and augmented reality training programs integrating VRAR platforms for astronautics training, allowing participants to train remotely without leaving home. Designed for aspiring astronauts and digital/remote learners.
• SIM EVA (Simulation Extra-Vehicular Activities) Suite of Simulation Extra-Vehicular Activity training programs including MEVA (Medical EVA), GEVA (Geological EVA), AEVA (Astronomy EVA), CEVA (CPR EVA), and NEVA-VR (Neutral Buoyancy Microgravity VR). Designed for crew training across specialized disciplines during analog missions.
• Let's Get S.T.E.A.M.E.D Workshops Indoor one-day astronautics workshops delivered at the downtown Los Angeles training facility, covering Science, Technologies, Engineering, Art, Maths, Exponential, and Digital VR/AR education for students, professionals, and space enthusiasts.
• Internal Research Projects (Crew research during missions) Crew team research projects conducted during MAU analog missions, covering Astro-Wellness, Teleanesthesia-Telesurgery, Solar 3D Printing, Medicinal Plant Growth, Robotics/Drones, and VR/AR Gamification. Available to participants accepted onto MAU missions and presented at conferences such as IAC.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully trained multiple crew teams since 2016 with missions spanning low to high fidelity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Texas A&M University SEDScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 April 2019First inaugural partnership with TAMU's Students for the Exploration & Development of Space (SEDS) with members in the Aggie Astronaut Corps program. First student crew trained in fully immersive analog missions at MAU's Los Angeles Mars Analog Astronaut training basecamp.
• Hi-on-Life AdventurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh altitude analog astronaut missions conducted in partnership with Hi-on-Life Adventures, an experienced organization offering treks and adventures in Nepal and Everest since 2004.
• Space Surgery Institute (SSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on teleanesthesia-telesurgery simulation training and joint presentation at ISSRD 2018 conference.
• Science in the WildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization shown in Partners & Collaborators section.
• Space Kidz IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner organization shown in Partners & Collaborators section.
• Mars Without Borders (MWOB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization founded by President Susan Ip-Jewell focusing on developing simulation-based learning training programs. MWOB crews participated in MDRS missions (Crew 158 and 159).
• NASA / CASISmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresentation accepted at NASA and CASIS-sponsored International Space Station Research & Development Conference 2018.
• Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAU team member Carlos Salicrup participated in PMAS mission in Poland 2017 under SGAC Space Generation Exploration Project including ESA.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NASTAR Center: National Aerospace Training and Research Center providing commercial suborbital spaceflight training and research. Directly comparable as a private, commercial astronautics training organization selling simulation-based credentialing to aspiring and professional space travelers.
• Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere): Nonprofit offering commercial astronaut scientist training, including high-altitude and suborbital research programs. Comparable as a participant-funded astronautics training provider targeting aspiring scientist-astronauts through immersive mission-based curricula.
• Mars Society (Mars Desert Research Station): Operates MDRS analog research station in Utah where MAU crews (158, 159) have participated. Directly comparable analog Mars simulation missions, though Mars Society is nonprofit and primarily research-oriented.
• NASA HI-SEAS (Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation): NASA-funded long-duration Mars analog missions in Hawaii. Directly comparable simulation environment and mission structure; MAU's CIO Nicholas Jewell has volunteered as first-tier support, indicating operational familiarity.
• Zero Gravity Corporation: Provides parabolic flight experiences for microgravity training and research. Comparable as a commercial experiential space training operator serving both researchers and enthusiast consumers.

Emerging players

• Astronauts4Hire: Commercial astronaut training and research organization developing a marketplace of trained astronaut candidates for hire. Comparable focus on credentialing non-traditional astronauts through structured training programs.
• World View Enterprises: Stratospheric balloon flight experiences and space training programs. Comparable as a commercial experiential space company offering tiered training/flight experiences to non-professional space enthusiasts.

Broad incumbents

• Space Adventures: Established commercial space tourism and training broker. Overlapping customer base of affluent aspiring astronauts but broader offering spanning orbital flights, circumlunar missions, and zero-G flights.
• Virgin Galactic: Public commercial spaceflight company offering astronaut training programs as part of its spaceflight experience. Overlapping target customer and adjacent training product, though at much larger scale and capital base.
• Blue Origin: Commercial spaceflight company providing astronaut training and experience programs. Comparable in serving aspiring civilian astronauts, but vastly larger scale and integrated with its own launch services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/marsacademyusa
• Xx.com/marsacademyusa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mars Academy USA