Last Thursday, a six person
mission to Mars began in Russia -- except that the crew isn't going anywhere. The would-be astronauts (including Russian, French, Italian and Chinese members) have agreed to undergo a 520-day long
simulation trip to Mars, which includes a 250-day flight to the planet, a 30-day exploration, and a 230-day return trip, all in the name of preparation and research. This is not the first time that Russia's undertaken long-term simulations -- last year six hopefuls participated in a 105-day long experiment -- hoping to gain insight into the long-term effects such isolation can be expected to produce. They won't be weightless, but many of the other conditions will be as realistic as possible -- including communications time delays, wonky internet, and one shower every ten days. Sounds a lot like blogging to us. We wish them luck -- check out the video below.
posted June 5th 2010 11:50PM
man that would be hard
@Eli Haj
4-5 years? what calendar do you use?
@Eli Haj
520 days = 1.4 years.
@Punisher Plum
Did you watch the video, man...
"...and they hope to do better than a similar mission 10 years ago when a Canadian woman on the team forcibly kissed her and two Russians fought leaving blood on the walls."
=/
@Punisher Plum If it's a Russian simulation, shouldn't all the people be bears on unicycles?
@Punisher Plum
seriously? did I just see a mock mars journey vessel lined with wood paneling???
@littlejoe Yes you did. I guess the Russian space program hasn't changed since 1973.
@Punisher Plum
Are we there yet?!
@desmund
Barbarella anyone?
@desmund
If it hasn't changed, could you please elaborate why the first mars mission simulation is occuring in Russia?
@desmund
I feel insulted by all the stereotypes...
@desmund
funny since the Russian space program is now the transportation to the international space station since the shuttle fleet is almost retired. They have been doing the heavy lifting for quite some time.
Cool - but not sure psychologically, the difference between 1/8" of corrugated steel separating you from the real world, vs. tens of millions of miles.
On an unrelated note, I have a strong urge to watch the 1996 classic, 'Bio-Dome'.
@(Unverified)
ANYTHING BUT Bio-Dome! anything!
@(Unverified) Man, I really should have made a Bio-Dome reference. Fail.
@Laura June
Yes you should have! On the other hand, why can't I upload a profile pic? I've been trying for months!
@Laura June
Are we there yet?
@(Unverified) Indeed, if something goes wrong they can terminate experiment at any moment without consequences. Those six people know that as well so its not effective at all.
@(Unverified)
Are we there yet?!
@Abbas64
Psychologically, the difference is that you iPhone might still work.
@(Unverified)
Don't see the point of this...unless they are drugged and somehow made to think they actually ARE on a mission to mars, then this whole experiment is moot...they know the world is just beyond those cheap ass looking wood panels. If someone gets sick or injured, all they gotta do is open the door...if this were a real mission it would be a life and death situation 24\7 and thus totally different psychologically.
@Snarf101 I feel your pain. I have been trying to load an image for months as well but have now givin up. I even tried writing engadget a few times asking them for help but received no response. On another note my Gizmodo avatar loaded up on the first try...
i would want to bring a zune (with zune pass), and a gamboy pocket with Pokemon Blue. Im set with those things
"including communications time delays, wonky internet, and one shower every ten days. Sounds a lot like blogging to us. "
tee-hee
They better not take a girl with them :/
@NeatOman
you're right, one would not suffice!
@Eli Haj
Where are you getting 4 or 5 years from?
@Eli Haj
I'm going to punch u in the overies if u say 4-5 years again. No joke.
@R Skicking
Are we there yet?
@R Skicking bhaha, someones getting mighty mad
@refink 4-5 years man that's a long time, and man do my overies hurt a lot hmm its probably nothing, well on a lighter note, I'm ganna stimulate me going to Pluto in my tree house, let's do some math, its takes 4-5 years to stimulate going to mars and Pluto is the 5 planet to the sun while mars is the 26th I believe so I should be in my tree house for about 2-3 hours, if my math is correct
@NeatOman At least make sure any girl taken with is married or fugly... man like ugly would be preferred to keep things professional IMO
@NeatOman
Alkohol och kvinnohål är de ända hål vi tål, skål!
only rimes in swedish, sorry ;)
I'd take my Macbook Pro, my DVD collection (300+ DVDs) and would preinstall like 40 games on my computer. Then I'd be set :)
@bathellfire Excuse Me but just cause it's a mac don't get it infinite battery life don't forget the nuclear reactor
@bathellfire
I didn't know Mac supported 40 (real) games in total :O
Are we talking about flash games? Or you gonna take a Windows 7 PC for real gaming?
@Abbas64 What if he's planing to dual boot? so harsh :/ lol
@Abbas64 So we'll set aside the fact that I just finished a 3 hour session of Half Life 2 on my Mac and am now browsing through some of the other Mac games that are on Steam?
Sounds good.
@bathellfire
Put your DVDs on a freaking hard drive. You think you're gonna have a 42 incher to watch your movies on?
I was all for it, even past wonky internet til they said now show for ten days, oh heck no
so im millions of miles in space and i can get internet but i live 250 miles from the nearest line and my service provider says i cant get internet service...WOWW plus side, stay updated on Engadget for next 1yr and a half =]...that and COD and i guess i wont mind going on a trip to mars :D
@Ray77
oh damn i forgot my PS3,damn mental relapse, brought a game no console..... no chance of making a uturn back home is there??
A 250 day flight...only to stay for 30 days?!
Worst... trip... ever.
@Plazmic Flame
Especially when you factor in that youre going to total distance of 0 miles.
@Plazmic Flame
Are we there yet?
@Bort Simpson
One was funny, but you're getting annoying now. Stop it.
@Eli Haj
4-5 years? what calendar do you use?
I dont understand what more research do they need when they already had many asturnants living in space stations that lived in space for 200 - 800 days straight. I thought they keep daily logs of health, activities and the other non sense to help improve future missions. Am I not understanding something here?
@fusionspill
Those long-term living experiments had taken place in low-earth orbit, so the space stations were frequented by other astronauts, i.e. other human contact. This simulation will not only cut the volunteers off from any other human contact, but also includes 30-day exploration mission on a simulated Martian surface. I would hope that among atmospheric conditions (thin CO2 levels), the tests also account for the change in gravity (suits strapped with bungee cords or something more scientific).
@fusionspill I think in this case it's more about team cohesian and tollerance... on the space station you had people coming and going... also much more living space than a mars mission. Also more resources, better food, more connected to earth.
There has been at least one incident of the crew of the ISS being afraid one of the scientists, who's experiment had failed, was going to do something drastic... they just kept someone around him until he was off station. Not sure how you simulate that kind of event, but really I'd be scared of someone snapping