http://www.smh.com.au/world/all-in-the-mind--simulated-mars-mission-takes-toll-on-crew-of-six-20110912-1k5w7.html All in the mind - simulated Mars mission takes toll on crew of six September 13, 2011 Big brother is watching ... crew imitate a 520-day trip to Mars. Photo: AP
MOSCOW: Six men who have been isolated together since June 2010 in a simulated mission to Mars are reaching their mental limits, with only two months left to go in the experiment, researchers say. The crew of three Russians, one Italian, a Chinese national and a Frenchman are in a simulator trying to simulate 520 days in space, the length of time scientists estimate would be needed for a round trip to the red planet. The men are ''mentally drained'' after their experience in a container in Moscow, the project manager, Yevgeni Dyomin told the Interfax news agency. ''The impatience is huge,'' Peter Graef, from DLR, the German space agency that is assisting with the project, said. ''The men want to finally see their families and the sun again.'' Mr Dyomin said the men are determined to push through until the project ends in November. The ''spaceship'' is similar to the reality TV show Big Brother. The men's activities are documented round the clock by cameras to see whether they manage to complete the 105 research assignments they have been given. Watchers are keeping an ever more close eye on the men now as they reach their points of exhaustion. ''Most experiments have been completed and the level of work has dipped off, which means the stay in a bare environment is getting even more monotonous,'' Mr Graef said. Experts say they are doing what they can to keep moods up. They add that no actual trip to Mars is in the planning. Deutsche Presse-Agentur Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/all-in-the-mind--simulated-mars-mission-takes-toll-on-crew-of-six-20110912-1k5w7.html#ixzz1XpVgqycO [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
