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Space pioneers wanted for 520-day Mars experiment (pays 120 euros (158 dollars) a day)
AFP on Yahoo ^ | 6/19/07 | AFP

Posted on 06/19/2007 11:57:37 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

LE BOURGET, France (AFP) - The European Space Agency (ESA) on Tuesday called for applications for one of the most demanding human experiments in space history: a simulated trip to Mars in which six "astronauts" will spend 17 months in an isolation tank on Earth.

Their spaceship will comprise a series of interlocked modules in an research institute in Moscow, and once the doors are closed tight, the volunteers will be cut off from all contact with the outside world except by a delayed radio link.

They will face simulated emergencies, daily work routines and experiments, as well as boredom and, no doubt, personal friction from confinement in just 550 cubic metres (19,250 cubic feet), the equivalent of nine truck containers.

Communications with the simulated mission control and loved-ones will take up to 40 minutes, the time that a radio signal takes to cross the void between Earth and a spaceship on Mars. Food will comprise mainly the packaged stuff of the kind eaten aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

The goal is to gain experience about the psychological challenges that a crew will face on a trip to Mars.

Four of the crew will be Russian, and two will come from countries that are members of ESA, agency and Russian officials said at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget.

In all, 12 European volunteers are needed.

A precursor 105-day study is scheduled to start by mid-2008, possibly followed by another 105-day study, before the full 520-day study begins in late 2008 or early 2009.

Backup for the two volunteers taking part in each of these simulations means that 12 Europeans are needed.

"The selection procedure is similar to that of ESA astronauts, although there will be more emphasis on psychological factors and stress resistance than on physical fitness," ESA said in a press release.

Men and women who think they have the right stuff can download the application form on (http://www.spaceflight.esa.int/CallforCandidates).

The terrestrial Mars-stronauts will not get much glory for their confinement, nor will they get particularly rich.

They will get paid 120 euros (158 dollars) a day, said Marc Heppener of ESA's Science and Application Division.

Viktor Baranov of Russia's Institute of Biomedical Problems, where the experiment will take place, said his organisation had received about 150 applications, only 19 of which came from women.

"The problem is that it is very difficult to find healthy people for this kind of experiment," he said.

Assuming that Mars and Earth are favourably aligned, with their closest distance of 56 million kilometres (35 million miles), it would take 250 days to get there, 30 days spent on site to conduct experiments and 240 days for the return, said Baranov.

A trip to Mars is not an early prospect. The United States has set plans to return to the Moon by 2018 and later head to Mars, but without setting a date.

The trip is fraught with many technical challenges, many of which are outranked by the question of keeping the crew healthy and sane.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Science
KEYWORDS: esa; experiment; mars; spacepioneers
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To: wolfcreek
I don’t see why they can’t FReep from space.

Well this might explain why.

Communications with the simulated mission control and loved-ones will take up to 40 minutes, the time that a radio signal takes to cross the void between Earth and a spaceship on Mars.

That means 80 minutes between post. I would get pretty frustrated. I get really annoyed sometimes when it takes a minute to refresh a screen with a lot of graphics during peak internet traffic.

21 posted on 06/19/2007 1:09:11 PM PDT by Pontiac (Patriotism is the natural consequence of having a free mind in a free society.)
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To: Pontiac

Being IBTZ would be out of the question.


22 posted on 06/19/2007 1:16:49 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: Tijeras_Slim

ROTFLMAO!!


23 posted on 06/19/2007 1:19:06 PM PDT by Jersey Republican Biker Chick (RIP Eric Medlen. You will be missed.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Can I bring a couple of jerry cans full of NyQuil for the boredom?


24 posted on 06/19/2007 1:54:34 PM PDT by Sax
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To: Sax
Can I bring a couple of jerry cans full of NyQuil for the boredom?

I think certain controlled substances that are readily available would be more effective and weigh less but cause problems with the space craft atmosphere.

Certain trade offs would have to be made in the interest of crew morale.

25 posted on 06/19/2007 2:19:25 PM PDT by Pontiac (Patriotism is the natural consequence of having a free mind in a free society.)
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To: wolfcreek

the time lag waiting for a response to a post would be maddening. And can you imagine a flame war at that distance? It would be fun to read those replies.


26 posted on 06/19/2007 2:26:36 PM PDT by NCC-1701 (ELIMINATE ORGANIZED CRIME. ABOLISH THE I.R.S.)
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To: NCC-1701

“And can you imagine a flame war at that distance?”

IMO, they really need to come up with a more speedy method to get to Mars. 17 months is too long for most humans and it’s way too long to not be able to FReep.


27 posted on 06/19/2007 2:33:54 PM PDT by wolfcreek (AMNESTY: See what BROWN can do for you..)
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To: NormsRevenge
...organisation had received about 150 applications, only 19 of which came from women.

And I don't think I wanna see what those 19 women look like!!

28 posted on 06/19/2007 3:46:05 PM PDT by GoldCountryRedneck ("Flying is like Life: Know where you are, where you're going, and how to get there." - 'Ol Dad)
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To: Tijeras_Slim

What is IBTZ???


29 posted on 06/19/2007 4:15:42 PM PDT by mulder1
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To: KevinDavis

$57670 a year? I’ll do it.


30 posted on 06/19/2007 10:16:33 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Time heals all wounds, particularly when they're not yours. Profile updated June 15, 2007.)
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To: mulder1

In Before The ZOT.


31 posted on 06/20/2007 5:21:48 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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