I’m kind of fascinated by this fake Mars mission experiment. Six astronauts are going to be locked up for three months in a space capsule to see how they react to the prolonged isolation of long-distance space travel. They’ll have all their supplies with them, and their communications to “Earth” will be delayed by 20 minutes. Won’t they all just go nuts? That’s what I’m expecting. Other questions that popped into my head: What do astronauts do with their garbage/human waste? Just dump it out into space? (I’m now picturing this space capsule hooked up like a motorhome at a camp ground.) And why aren’t there any women included? Surely the dynamics of a mixed group would be more interesting that all men.
jp
April 1, 2009 — 4:26 pm
Maybe because no woman was stupid enough to say yes!
Imagine the pitch…
We are going to lock you in a fake space ship for three month with 5 other people (probably all men)..Do you think they even got past that bit?
jp
April 1, 2009 — 4:27 pm
My last response may have sounded a little sexist (sorry) but i don’t know any of my female friends that would say Hell Yeah..I’ll do that!
Kris
April 1, 2009 — 5:14 pm
I think I’d have done it. I remember reading about an experiment as a kid where somebody stayed in a cave for a few months to see what their sleep patterns would be like without reference to daylight. I always thought that sounded cool. Plus hello? Pretend astronauts on a pretend mission to Mars? So cool!
But yeah, I’d probably go nuts.