Yearlong Mars simulation about over

[Peter1469]

Yearlong Mars simulation about over

6 scientists are almost done with a year long Mars simulation mission on Hawaii. If they felt lonely and confined here, wait for the real thing.

The scientists are housed in a dome on Mauna Loa and can go outside only in spacesuits, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.

They manage limited resources while conducting research and working to avoid personal conflicts. Communication is delayed by 20 minutes, the length it would take to relay messages from Mars.

Kim Binsted, principal investigator for the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (Hi-Seas), said this simulation was the second-longest of its kind after a mission that lasted 520 days in Russia.


“They’re doing OK, as far as we can tell,” Binsted said of the scientists.

Read more at the link.

[Don]

They had that simulation on the Science Channel. Its smart to do that. Maybe after we go there and back a few times and get established on Mars they could put up some emergency stations along the way. Then maybe something bigger and more elaborate with a emergency return module like the escape rocket/pods they use on the International Space Station if they have to get the hell out of Dodge. After that a series of modules every ten million miles or so. And finally some space motels along the way until we develop warp drive engines.