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Mars Experiment - 3/31/2009 8:06:52 AM

GreedyTop

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090331/sc_afp/spacerussiaeuropemarslead

INteresting. I can't imagine being locked away like this.

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RE: Mars Experiment - 3/31/2009 9:15:10 AM

sappatoti

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Two things.

First (a rhetorical musing), the article mentions that no additional goods will be introduced into the capsule during its 105 day mission. If this is a simulation of what a mission to Mars might be like, does this mean that once the crew arrives on the Red Planet, they'll be able to hop out of their landing craft and visit the local convenience mart?

105 days is the length of time for them to get to the planet. How long will they be staying on the surface and how long for them to get back to where there is a real convenience mart?

Second, I'm glad they found people who aren't claustrophobic! I'm uneasy on something as large as a jet liner. I can't imagine being on top of five other people (figuratively) inside something as small as a space module.

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RE: Mars Experiment - 3/31/2009 10:31:04 AM

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Cool experiment. Testing one of the major problems with manned space flight to Mars (& beyond)

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RE: Mars Experiment - 3/31/2009 10:49:41 AM

outlier

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Thanks GT, You share the coolest stuff!

The answer to the stay and return questions is further into the article.

"Underlining the declared aim to simulate the exact conditions of a Mars mission,
there is also a "landing module simulator" which the crew will occupy for the 30 day
"orbit" around Mars.

The experiment is a joint project between the IBMP and the European Space Agency
(ESA) and will lay the path for an even tougher Mars mission simulation later in 2009.

The two organisations are planning at the end of the year to send six more crew into
the isolation facility for 520 days -- the estimated duration of a return trip to Mars."

The question to me is lack of gravity. Does being able to float about give you a feeling
of more space because it adds another dimension to move around in? They are no
doubt using their space lab experience to answer this as well as they can.

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RE: Mars Experiment - 3/31/2009 12:27:33 PM

sappatoti

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quote:

ORIGINAL: outlier
Thanks GT, You share the coolest stuff!

Yes, she does.

quote:

ORIGINAL: outlier
The answer to the stay and return questions is further into the article. ...

My bad... my beta-level browser wouldn't reveal the entire article, despite my attempts to reload the page many times. Switching to a non-beta browser allowed me to view the article in full

* Safari 4b2 on Mac OS X 10.4 PPC, if anyone needs to know this minutia.

quote:

ORIGINAL: outlier
The question to me is lack of gravity. Does being able to float about give you a feeling
of more space because it adds another dimension to move around in? They are no
doubt using their space lab experience to answer this as well as they can.

I believe you're right in that gravity should be a consideration. On ocean cruises I've witnessed some people I know behave in uncharacteristic ways when they're battling motion sickness; something that many astronauts battle.

Actually, there is a current experiment running right now, in space, that can determine how micro-gravity affects people... the ISS. The most recent crew member returned last week after spending 134 days on orbit. Granted, she did so while living in a vehicle that's many times larger than a planned Mars vehicle and she also had fewer people on board to deal with. But I do think that some of the physiological observations taken during all of these ISS missions will provide valuable information to the Mars mission designers.

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RE: Mars Experiment - 3/31/2009 3:55:05 PM

Vendaval

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Thanks for posting this, Greedy.

At least the participants can take books, DVD's and laptops with them. The lack of fresh air, relying on a circulation system would be bothersome to me.

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RE: Mars Experiment - 4/1/2009 4:40:30 PM

MarsBonfire

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Actually, the gravity thing sort of balances itself out: Yes, you are able to move about the cabin more easily, and orient yourself in ways that gives you more room... but... the fluids in your body equalize, so you end up feeling very much like you have a head cold for the duration... which gets old after awhile. Then there's the muscular atrophy and loss of bone mass to contend with...

I wonder if during the program, they will be staging a "solar storm" simulation as well... so that all the guys in the "habitat module" will have to squeeze into a heavily sheilded "storm shelter" for a week or so.

What I really wonder is, why do they ned to do this? The russions held the record for long duration spaceflight via Mir several times. I'd think this would be almost redundant...

But, hey, what a great premise for a gay porno flick...

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RE: Mars Experiment - 4/1/2009 5:49:56 PM

Vendaval

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That's an angle I had not considered. hm....

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