On Mars under the dome – BBC News

In the last Sunday in Hawaii completed an experiment in modeling the flight to Mars in which six researchers lived for one year in complete isolation. project organized by NASA and the University of Hawaii.

Members of the experiment Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) lived under a special canopy on the side of Mauna Loa at an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level, and to come out can only wearing spacesuits. The diameter of their dwelling was 11 meters, and height – 6 meters. On the ground floor (useful area of ​​81.57 sq. M.) There is a kitchen, dining room, bathroom with shower, laboratory exercise room and a hall. On the second floor (39 sq. M.) Are six individual cabins and a bathroom.

The area of ​​the volcano Mauna Loa has been chosen for this experiment because of the fact that, due to the volcanic activity of the local soil is most reminiscent of the surface Mars, on the height, where the dome, there are practically no plants. Contact members with other people through the means of communication have been specifically restricted. When you go beyond the dome of the participants could not replenish the supply of food. Before the start of the main experiment on an annual isolation organizers in 2013 – 2015 years held three preliminary experiment with a shorter term

The aim of the project was to assess the social and psychological state of the crew of a possible manned mission to Mars, internally for a long time to be in isolation. and work in conditions close to Mars. Particular attention is paid to the organizers of the study participants in the diet and its influence on the state of the crew. At the same time, participants were allowed to prepare meals of their choice (within the available food under the dome of the stock), or use ready-made sets of dishes, compiled by the organizers. Also as part of HI-SEAS passed testing software designed to control the psychological state of participants in manned space flight, as their limited access to psychological help organizers consider an important issue. The participants also carried out tests of clothing and other materials that may be used in space.

The group included representatives of the US, France and Germany. Among them were three men and three women. Johnson Carmel (Carmel Johnston) majoring soil scientist, previously she has been studying the evolution of gas

from the peat bogs of Alaska as a result of thawing permafrost. German physicist and engineer Christian Heinicke (Christiane Heinicke) specialized in the study of auroras and modeling of processes in metal melts and mantle. Shane Gifford (Sheyna Gifford) was engaged in research in the field of neuroscience. She has a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and English, Doctor of Medicine, Master of Biotechnology and Journalism. Previously, she was one of the authors of the educational site of NASA. Stewart Andrzej (Andrzej Stewart) worked at Lockheed Martin, as an engineer was a member of Spitzer Space Telescope project, the spacecraft Mars Odyssey, Juno, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN program and Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL). Frenchman Cyprien Verso (Cyprien Verseux) specializes in astrobiology and biological life support systems. Part of his research is devoted to the use of microorganisms for the processing resources of Mars products necessary for human life. Christian Bassingtueyt (Tristan Bassingthwaighte) -. The architect, who is preparing a doctoral thesis on the design of buildings and interiors for future human settlement on Mars

After the participants shared their impressions. Cyprien Verso says that, in his opinion, manned mission to Mars is real, and psychological and technical difficulties that may arise, can be overcome.

The experiments to simulate a manned flight to Mars and were carried out in Russia. In 2007 – 2011 years of the Moscow Institute of Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, under the auspices Roskoskoma, Russian Academy of Sciences and the European Space Agency conducted an experiment Mars-500. He headed the project cosmonaut Boris Morukov. Two participants in the preliminary stages have been isolated for 14 and 105 days. The main phase involved the isolation of 520 days, which is more than in the current draft of NASA. It also six people participated: Alexey Sitёv, Sukhrob Kamolov, Alexander Smoleevsky (Russia), Romain Charles (France), Diego Urbina (Italy) and Wang Yue (China). The experiment was successfully completed November 4, 2011. On its results can be read in a special essay.