520 Days on a Simulated Flight to Mars - Page 2

neilmarr · 06-02-2010, 11:03 AM

Ah ... but it's not altogether a simulation, you see, Kenny. That's just what they want you to believe.

Secretly, on June 3, a real mission takes off from the remote Australian wilderness. Those in the simulation team are actually made to experience exactly what six other astronauts are truly going through.

A cadre of sinister NASA masterminds -- desperate to have an experienced crew alive and trained for an open mission within the President's promised timeline should anything go wrong with the secret flight -- have set the whole thing up so that the Agency can hedge its bets, save its funding and survive to boldly go on and on.

The real mission to Mars hits a major crisis and -- in a fit of remorse and a desperate bid to save the endangered astronauts in deep space -- one of the NASA cadre (who's now a tad less sinister than he was before) turns rogue and finds a way to put the simulation crew in touch with their real-life comradres. Neither group had hitherto known of the existence of the other.

And the walls come tumbling down and shit happens ... fraying relationships in the spacecraft and its earthbound clone are repaired as everyone pulls together ... etc ... etc ...

Could make a tale for Steve or one of our other SF buddies.

Mind you, my internet's been a mess today and I've not been able to work properly ... so maybe this flight of fancy is more down to a couple of bottles and a dreamy few hours in the sun than to concept plotting. Steve could make a much better job of it.

Hoots toots. The Man from Marr's. N

GeoffC · 06-02-2010, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

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.]

that, my friend, is the problem .....

they are not going boldly into space ....

neilmarr · 06-02-2010, 11:04 AM

Internet problems ... apologies ... could someone please explain how to delete a fluffed post? Neil

GeoffC · 06-02-2010, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilmarr

internet problems -- apologies ...

rather ominous thought - if we can't get a reliable internet service across the world, what chance 520 days to Mars .... !?

Sparrow · 06-02-2010, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffC

rather ominous thought - if we can't get a reliable internet service across the world, what chance 520 days to Mars .... !?

Reminiscent of the Apollo 1 tragedy:
"How are we going to get to the Moon if we can't talk between three buildings?"

TGS · 06-02-2010, 11:10 AM

In what sense is this a simulation of flying to Mars? Looks more like putting some people in a container for the best part of two years and seeing what happens to them.

Perhaps if they've got cameras in there they could do a live feed and it could become a TV series, and the public could vote people out and we could watch them not having sex. Oh, wait, they've tried that already.

neilmarr · 06-02-2010, 11:12 AM

Right you are, Geoff. You wouldn't believe the problems here again (and you certainly wouldn't believe the excuses I've been given). I won't go into detail and bore the sporran off you, but it's the kind of crap the UK and US got over back in the Jurassic age of internet. Driving me bloody potty. Neil

GeoffC · 06-02-2010, 11:12 AM

That is essentially it, it's an investigation into the psychological aspect of isolation for a group of people during this length of time.
That they are not really going into the hazardous environment of space makes it a little less 'real'.
Perhaps it would have been a better experiment to put them to the bottom of the ocean where mistakes could have serious consequences.

FlorenceArt · 06-02-2010, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGS

In what sense is this a simulation of flying to Mars? Looks more like putting some people in a container for the best part of two years and seeing what happens to them.

I don't see much difference between the two, from a human perspective. Obviously the simulation is not of a technical nature. The main question is: if you put 6 people within a closed environment and stir for two years, how many will get out and in what shape?

TGS · 06-02-2010, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

I don't see much difference between the two, from a human perspective. Obviously the simulation is not of a technical nature. The main question is: if you put 6 people within a closed environment and stir for two years, how many will get out and in what shape?

So it's a simulation of whatever involves putting people in a confined space for a long time - going to Mars, being a hostage, trying to get from Liverpool Street to South Kensington using the Circle Line...

poohbear_nc · 06-02-2010, 11:44 AM

I'm being horribly reminded of the situation in the classic "I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream"

FlorenceArt · 06-02-2010, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGS

So it's a simulation of whatever involves putting people in a confined space for a long time - going to Mars, being a hostage, trying to get from Liverpool Street to South Kensington using the Circle Line...

Stop it! I'm starting to sweat.

poohbear_nc · 06-02-2010, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Stop it! I'm starting to sweat.

That reminds me - hope they have LOTS of deodorant in that tin can!

FlorenceArt · 06-02-2010, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

That reminds me - hope they have LOTS of deodorant in that tin can!

:faints:

GeoffC · 06-02-2010, 11:50 AM

s w e a t y s o c k s

watch out, one of the occupants may be a member here !!!!!

06-02-2010, 11:04 AM	#18
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Internet problems ... apologies ... could someone please explain how to delete a fluffed post? Neil Last edited by neilmarr; 06-02-2010 at 11:09 AM.

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06-02-2010, 11:03 AM	#16
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Ah ... but it's not altogether a simulation, you see, Kenny. That's just what they want you to believe. Secretly, on June 3, a real mission takes off from the remote Australian wilderness. Those in the simulation team are actually made to experience exactly what six other astronauts are truly going through. A cadre of sinister NASA masterminds -- desperate to have an experienced crew alive and trained for an open mission within the President's promised timeline should anything go wrong with the secret flight -- have set the whole thing up so that the Agency can hedge its bets, save its funding and survive to boldly go on and on. The real mission to Mars hits a major crisis and -- in a fit of remorse and a desperate bid to save the endangered astronauts in deep space -- one of the NASA cadre (who's now a tad less sinister than he was before) turns rogue and finds a way to put the simulation crew in touch with their real-life comradres. Neither group had hitherto known of the existence of the other. And the walls come tumbling down and shit happens ... fraying relationships in the spacecraft and its earthbound clone are repaired as everyone pulls together ... etc ... etc ... Could make a tale for Steve or one of our other SF buddies. Mind you, my internet's been a mess today and I've not been able to work properly ... so maybe this flight of fancy is more down to a couple of bottles and a dreamy few hours in the sun than to concept plotting. Steve could make a much better job of it. Hoots toots. The Man from Marr's. N

06-02-2010, 11:10 AM	#21
TGS Country Member Posts: 9,058 Karma: 7676767 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Denmark Device: Liseuse: Irex DR800. PRS 505 in the house, and the missus has an iPad.	In what sense is this a simulation of flying to Mars? Looks more like putting some people in a container for the best part of two years and seeing what happens to them. Perhaps if they've got cameras in there they could do a live feed and it could become a TV series, and the public could vote people out and we could watch them not having sex. Oh, wait, they've tried that already.

06-02-2010, 11:12 AM	#22
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	Right you are, Geoff. You wouldn't believe the problems here again (and you certainly wouldn't believe the excuses I've been given). I won't go into detail and bore the sporran off you, but it's the kind of crap the UK and US got over back in the Jurassic age of internet. Driving me bloody potty. Neil

06-02-2010, 11:12 AM	#23
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	That is essentially it, it's an investigation into the psychological aspect of isolation for a group of people during this length of time. That they are not really going into the hazardous environment of space makes it a little less 'real'. Perhaps it would have been a better experiment to put them to the bottom of the ocean where mistakes could have serious consequences.

06-02-2010, 11:44 AM	#26
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 63,162 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	I'm being horribly reminded of the situation in the classic "I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream"

06-02-2010, 11:50 AM	#30
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	s w e a t y s o c k s watch out, one of the occupants may be a member here !!!!!

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