520 Days on a Simulated Flight to Mars

kennyc · 06-02-2010, 07:32 AM

520 Days on a Simulated Flight to Mars

ScienceDaily (June 1, 2010) — On June 3, 2010, six 'astronauts' will commence a virtual trip to Mars. Sealed into a cramped container at the Moscow Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) for 520 days, they will experience the rigours and isolation of long-duration spaceflight.

This marks the start of the main part of the Mars 500 experiment, and on completion will constitute the longest ever space simulation experiment. Scientists from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and other German research institutions such as the Charité medical school in Berlin are 'back on board', along with staff from the universities of Erlangen and Bonn.

When the hatch closes on 3 June, the six-person crew from Russia, Europe and China will set out on their simulated 520-day journey to the Red Planet. For their virtual outbound leg, they will need 250 days, then have scheduled 30 days for their 'stay' on Mars, after which the crew embarks on its 240-day return journey to Earth. The experiment will take place in a special-purpose test facility at the IMBP in Moscow, where the previous 109-day experiment was conducted in 2009. With the exception of weightlessness and exposure to radiation, in-space conditions will be simulated as realistically as possible. The crew will experience isolation, food and emergency situations of the kind they would encounter on a real long-duration mission. During these 520 days, about 100 tests are planned, covering the fields of psychology, psychophysiology, clinical diagnostics, physiology and microbiology.

.....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0601114524.htm

Sweetpea · 06-02-2010, 07:34 AM

I hope they're allowed to bring a book! (of the electronic kind, naturally

)

FlorenceArt · 06-02-2010, 07:36 AM

520 days locked up with a group of people

I am getting the shivers. I'm so glad I am not an astronaut.

P.S. I couldn't finish Red Mars. Can you guess why?

FlorenceArt · 06-02-2010, 07:37 AM

Will they be allowed radio communication with their loved ones, with a simulated delay according to the theoretical distance to Earth?

GeoffC · 06-02-2010, 07:38 AM

All male ....

Full gravity ... I wonder how many will complete to the end ....

GeoffC · 06-02-2010, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Will they be allowed radio communication with their loved ones, with a simulated delay according to the theoretical distance to Earth?

I believe that comms will have the required degree of delay ....

kennyc · 06-02-2010, 07:45 AM

Yeah, the idea is to simulate as much as possible (other than gravity obviously) the actual trip. I suspect the first mission might actually be all male, so maybe that is a good 'simulation' as well, but you'd think they might have included at least one or more female astronauts....

Sparrow · 06-02-2010, 07:57 AM

Can you imagine about to be sealed in with your companions for 520 days - they're just shutting the door when the last crew member dashes up at the last minute - with a guitar!!

I'd be mad within a week.

dsvick · 06-02-2010, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Can you imagine about to be sealed in with your companions for 520 days - they're just shutting the door when the last crew member dashes up at the last minute - with a guitar!!

I'd be mad within a week.

They'd need Rock Lobster to solve the murder

FlorenceArt · 06-02-2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Can you imagine about to be sealed in with your companions for 520 days - they're just shutting the door when the last crew member dashes up at the last minute - with a guitar!!

I'd be mad within a week.

I think I'm going to have to unsubscribe from this thread. You're scaring me

poohbear_nc · 06-02-2010, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Can you imagine about to be sealed in with your companions for 520 days - they're just shutting the door when the last crew member dashes up at the last minute - with a guitar!!

I'd be mad within a week.

A harmonica would result in someone being ejected through an airlock!

Sweetpea · 06-02-2010, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Can you imagine about to be sealed in with your companions for 520 days - they're just shutting the door when the last crew member dashes up at the last minute - with a guitar!!

I'd be mad within a week.

I wouldn't. Not sure if that guitar would last the week, though...

Steven Lyle Jordan · 06-02-2010, 10:35 AM

GeoffC · 06-02-2010, 10:37 AM

will someone take an ABBA recording or two .... ?

poohbear_nc · 06-02-2010, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

will someone take an ABBA recording or two .... ?

I now have a mental image of a space ship fading into the distance followed by endless repetitions of "Waterloo" - over & over & over ....

[In space no one can hear you scream.]

06-02-2010, 07:32 AM	#1
kennyc Priorities! Priorties! Posts: 29,973 Karma: 38412194 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Galaxy SIII; Xoom; Kindle Fire	520 Days on a Simulated Flight to Mars 520 Days on a Simulated Flight to Mars ScienceDaily (June 1, 2010) — On June 3, 2010, six 'astronauts' will commence a virtual trip to Mars. Sealed into a cramped container at the Moscow Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) for 520 days, they will experience the rigours and isolation of long-duration spaceflight. This marks the start of the main part of the Mars 500 experiment, and on completion will constitute the longest ever space simulation experiment. Scientists from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and other German research institutions such as the Charité medical school in Berlin are 'back on board', along with staff from the universities of Erlangen and Bonn. When the hatch closes on 3 June, the six-person crew from Russia, Europe and China will set out on their simulated 520-day journey to the Red Planet. For their virtual outbound leg, they will need 250 days, then have scheduled 30 days for their 'stay' on Mars, after which the crew embarks on its 240-day return journey to Earth. The experiment will take place in a special-purpose test facility at the IMBP in Moscow, where the previous 109-day experiment was conducted in 2009. With the exception of weightlessness and exposure to radiation, in-space conditions will be simulated as realistically as possible. The crew will experience isolation, food and emergency situations of the kind they would encounter on a real long-duration mission. During these 520 days, about 100 tests are planned, covering the fields of psychology, psychophysiology, clinical diagnostics, physiology and microbiology. ..... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0601114524.htm __________________ Kenny A. Chaffin Art Gallery - Print Gallery - Writing&Poetry "Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama

06-02-2010, 07:36 AM	#3
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,386 Karma: 1842163 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad 3, iPhone 4S	520 days locked up with a group of people I am getting the shivers. I'm so glad I am not an astronaut. P.S. I couldn't finish Red Mars. Can you guess why? __________________ "The thing about witchcraft," said Mistress Weatherwax, "is that it's not like school at all. First you get the test, and then afterward you spend years findin' out how you passed it. It's a bit like life in that respect." Terry Pratchett (The Wee Free Men) MR Philosophy discussion :::: My LibraryThing :::: My Abstract Art :::: Current avatar: Anatole

06-02-2010, 07:37 AM	#4
FlorenceArt High Priestess Posts: 5,386 Karma: 1842163 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Montreuil sous bois, France Device: iPad 3, iPhone 4S	Will they be allowed radio communication with their loved ones, with a simulated delay according to the theoretical distance to Earth? __________________ "The thing about witchcraft," said Mistress Weatherwax, "is that it's not like school at all. First you get the test, and then afterward you spend years findin' out how you passed it. It's a bit like life in that respect." Terry Pratchett (The Wee Free Men) MR Philosophy discussion :::: My LibraryThing :::: My Abstract Art :::: Current avatar: Anatole

06-02-2010, 07:45 AM	#7
kennyc Priorities! Priorties! Posts: 29,973 Karma: 38412194 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Galaxy SIII; Xoom; Kindle Fire	Yeah, the idea is to simulate as much as possible (other than gravity obviously) the actual trip. I suspect the first mission might actually be all male, so maybe that is a good 'simulation' as well, but you'd think they might have included at least one or more female astronauts.... __________________ Kenny A. Chaffin Art Gallery - Print Gallery - Writing&Poetry "Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama

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06-02-2010, 07:38 AM	#5
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 26,711 Karma: 16550486 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	All male .... Full gravity ... I wonder how many will complete to the end ....

06-02-2010, 07:57 AM	#8
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,400 Karma: 1358102 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	Can you imagine about to be sealed in with your companions for 520 days - they're just shutting the door when the last crew member dashes up at the last minute - with a guitar!! I'd be mad within a week.

06-02-2010, 10:35 AM	#13
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,482 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	<Worf as Will Scarlet, Geordi with the lute>

06-02-2010, 10:37 AM	#14
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 26,711 Karma: 16550486 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	will someone take an ABBA recording or two .... ?

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