Astronauts Start 520-Day Mars Test

Logan Westbrook

Transform, Roll Out, Etc
Feb 21, 2008
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Astronauts Start 520-Day Mars Test



An experiment to test the effects of isolation on long space voyages has gotten underway today in Moscow.

How long could you bear being stuck in a confined space with someone? An hour? A day maybe? How about nearly a year and a half? That's exactly what six volunteers have let themselves in for as they take part in an experiment to test the effects of prolonged isolation on a spaceship crew.

The experiment, dubbed the Mars-500 Project, will take 520 days, which simulates the 250 day trip to Mars, a 30 day exploration of the surface, and a 240 day trip back. The experiment is being conducted by the Moscow-based Institute for Medical and Biological Problems, with co-operation from the European and Chinese space authorities.

"When everybody interacts with the same people in the same space, habits and behavior become apparent very quickly," said psychotherapist Mikhail Baryshev. "These habits may irritate and cause indignation - and even fits of aggression."

The experiment has come under criticism however, for its male-only crew: "The absence of women in Mars-500 Project yet again proves the presence of old-fashioned earthly gender stereotypes," said Mikhail Salkin of the Moscow Human Rights Protection Centre, who accused the experiment of being unfairly biased towards men.

Source: Daily Mail [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1283640/Six-astronauts-begin-520-days-locked-windowless-mock-spaceship.html?ITO=1490]




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Dragon_of_red

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Dec 30, 2008
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Heh, sucks to be them. You would hope they got paid a shitload, like even at 10 bucks oer hour, for 24 hours, for 520 days, that would be quite good actually...

Aaaaand of course someone bitches about not being able to be crammed in a space for 520 days.
 

Katherine Kerensky

Why, or Why Not?
Mar 27, 2009
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Heh... 520 days they have to spend, all men in there, and none of them will be in the presence of a woman in that time...
I... wonder what will happen...
>.<
Still, an interesting little experiment.
 

thenumberthirteen

Unlucky for some
Dec 19, 2007
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Wow. That's a really long time in such a small space. This will either result in violence or homosexuality.
 

Chrono212

Fluttershy has a mean K:DR
May 19, 2009
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Did they take any games with them? :p

What are they going to do for all that time? On mission in space they do tons of zero-g related experiments but here...there's only so many psych-analysis tests you can do...
 

Woem

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May 28, 2009
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Logan Westbrook said:
The experiment has come under criticism however, for its male-only crew: "The absence of women in Mars-500 Project yet again proves the presence on old-fashioned earthly gender stereotypes," said Mikhail Salkin of the Moscow Human Rights Protection Centre, who accused the experiment of being unfairly biased towards men.
I'm not sure why this is the case? Should there really be a diversity in gender, religion etnicity and sexual preference in there? Seriously?
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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But...But...they'll miss Transformers 3. It's July 1st, 2011.

Holy shit. Can I get in that?
 

Pandalisk

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Jan 25, 2009
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Thank you Soviet Russia!

More research and more Space programs are needed, Even more so with NASA dying, shame to waste such an awesome name, give it to the Japanese or Russians.

Hmm, space sexism, perhaps this is less sexism than it is women have shown no interest or they did not want to risk a woman in the first test, a women getting the shit kicked into in a small space is worse news than a man beating on a man, ah sexism.

Still, Godamn, those Russians are balsy to waste a year of their life in a Small area in the name of Space research, WE NEED MORE OF THEM!.
 

Loop Stricken

Covered in bees!
Jun 17, 2009
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Apparently the first one was ended prematurely over a fistfight.
I don't understand why they stopped the original after said fist-fight. If movies have taught me anything it's that space madness is common and we must learn how to lessen its horrific effects before we set sail.
 

Redratson

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Jun 23, 2009
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Damn 520 days? I don't think I could last a month! WAe need to research faster space travel or something.
 

Trotgar

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Sep 13, 2009
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While I think the money that goes to these things should be first used to fight things like poverty and diseases, I admit that this is still pretty cool.

Also, only some years left until the first discovery of Prothean ruins!

[sub][sub]I can always dream, can't I?[/sub][/sub]
 

Frequen-Z

Resident Batman fanatic.
Apr 22, 2009
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No women... really Russia, do you think that's a good idea? Should be an even amount of both genders.
 
Feb 13, 2008
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Logan Westbrook said:
The experiment has come under criticism however, for its male-only crew: "The absence of women in Mars-500 Project yet again proves the presence on old-fashioned earthly gender stereotypes," said Mikhail Salkin of the Moscow Human Rights Protection Centre, who accused the experiment of being unfairly biased towards men.
First of all, The Daily Mail? Shame on you, Nil...

Secondly...There's a very good reasons why its a male only crew. Men and women in the same space for a year and a half? Most marriages don't last that long.
 

Xaryn Mar

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Sep 17, 2008
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Last time they tried an experiment like this with a woman aboard they had to cancel it due to tensions between her and one of the male crew.
 

Sparrow

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Feb 22, 2009
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Logan Westbrook said:
The experiment has come under criticism however, for its male-only crew: "The absence of women in Mars-500 Project yet again proves the presence on old-fashioned earthly gender stereotypes," said Mikhail Salkin of the Moscow Human Rights Protection Centre, who accused the experiment of being unfairly biased towards men.
Yeah, that's a good idea. Put women in there! I mean, the guys wouldn't want to bang them or anything. We're talking about 520 days here, you loon. Lets just hope these guys have well stocked wank-banks, otherwise I forsee some homosexuality going on here.

Trotgar said:
[sub][sub]I can always dream, can't I?[/sub][/sub]
Dibs on being Garrus.
 

Thedutchjelle

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Mar 31, 2009
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So guys, the door has been sealed. Ivan, unpack the food will you..what do you mean, I was supposed to bring them ?

OT: Cool idea. Not sure what bussiness humans would have on Mars, but this might bring us closer should we ever feel the urge to go.
 

Mutie

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Feb 2, 2009
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Anybody who has ever played a 'Tales of...' game will know the somewhat concerning hilarity of the line "These habits may irritate and cause indignation - and even fits of aggression."
 

Beryl77

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Mar 26, 2010
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Wow, thats a really long time. I don't think I could ever do that. I guess the only reason for them to waste over a year of their life, is money. I would really like to know how much money they'll get for this.