Manned missions to Mars pose problems -
carrying enough fuel and supplies, shielding from cosmic radiation, and
the way humans locked in a small box for two years tend to go totally
crazy. Scientists are simulating space-psychosis by shutting six souls
in a simulated shuttle for three months - which is odd, because
scientists normally re-enact sci-fi plots, not horror movies.
The project is a combined effort between the European Space Agency and
Russian Academy of Science’s Institute for Medical-Biological Problems,
though it’s not clear if the latter is trying to solve or create such
problems. The project is motivated by the desire for space travel,
research into the paranoia and isolation, and fabulous cash prizes -
any astronaut idol who survives 100 days wins $20,000.
We feel the ESA has missed a great chance for PR.
With all the recent
work by space agencies to raise their profile in the public eye,
especially in a world with people asking “Why should we spend money on
this when nobody has any?” You literally don’t need to add anything -
the experiment will be full of cameras anyway, you’ve got volunteers
from three different countries (Russian, Germany and France), you just
need to connect it to the TV and it’ll start making money. Also,
elimination rounds and “voting people off” is a lot more interesting
with spaceships and airlocks.
Luke McKinney.
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