Do you know anyone who would like to experience a 17-month expedition to Mars? If so, ESA would like to hear from them! The Agency is looking for up to 12 volunteers who are willing to take part in a lengthy simulation of an actual mission to Mars.
ESA is looking ahead to the day when astronauts will set off on the first historic journey to the Red Planet. The Agency has teamed up with the Russian Institute of Biomedical Problems to send a crew of six on a 520-day simulated mission.
The ‘expedition’ will take place inside a special facility in Moscow, but it will follow the profile of a real Mars mission. The crew will experience extreme isolation in a confined space. They will lose sight of planet Earth. They will have to wait up to 40 minutes for a reply to a radio message sent to Earth.
Several simulations are planned before the full 520-day study begins in late 2008 or early 2009. The first of these will be a 105-day study that will start in mid-2008. This may be followed by another 105-day study. Four volunteers will be needed for each of the simulations. The method of selection is similar to that for ESA astronauts, but ability to deal with stress and isolation will be more important than physical fitness.
