Astronauts to spend long time pretending to go to Mars.
Six male astronauts began their journey today to, well, not space.
The group of internationals will embark on a 18-month experiment that’s more psychological than logistical to test the viability of actually sending a man to Mars. The project, dubbed Mars500, is the brainchild of the European Space Agency, and the facility where the astronauts will spend the next 520 days is just outside of Moscow.
Dr. Martin Zell of the ESA told the BBC that the cosmonauts will perservere through simulated space-like experiences. Except weightlessness, which is a biggie. But they will have to deal with other things, like a limited food supply.
“That means everything will be onboard at the start. There will be no re-load, re-supply whatsoever. It will be like a real mission.”
For an illustration of how the whole thing works and some pretty cool videos, check out the BBC’s story.
—Seth Putnam
