Yesterday I saw that the European Space Agency are looking for volunteers to spend 17 months in an isolation tank simulating a trip to Mars. They would get paid 120 Euros a day for doing this, although I guess the salary is irrelevant for the 17 months, as I don’t suppose they will have too many places that they can spend it. They would walk out about £40000 richer.
The article says “With the exception of weightlessness and radiation, the crew will experience most other aspects of long-haul space travel, such as cramped conditions, a high workload, lack of privacy, and limited supplies.”
Well I’m glad about the lack of radiation and slightly disappointed about not being able to experience weightlessness (which would have come in handy on a boring Sunday afternoon, think of the fun that could have been had) I can think of few things less appealing than spending a continued period of time locked up with five other people, with no escape - and you don’t actually even get to go to Mars.
The article makes some other, slightly alarming, points.
“In all, 12 European volunteers will be needed. They must be aged 25-50, be in good health, have "high motivation" and stand up to 185cm tall. Smokers, or those with other addictions, to alcohol or illicit drugs, for example, will be rejected.”
What is concerning is that only 6 people will take part in the experiment, so what happens to the other 6? Are they spares in case the original six get destroyed in a freak accident?
“European scientists have been asked to submit proposals for experiments in the areas of psychology, medicine, physiology and mission operations.”
So think ‘guinea pig trapped in a cage from which there is no escape’ and you may come back mentally unhinged or with slightly less limbs than you started with, but it will be for the good of science…
“Mounting a mission to Mars would face many other hurdles, not least of which would be shielding the crew against the potentially deadly dose of radiation they would receive on the journey.”
Well quite…
Anyway, I did send the article to G, who is looking for a new job at the moment, to which I received a reply “Are you trying to get rid of me for 17 months?” I said no, that I would pine the entire time and would eat Mars bars so that we could still feel close – but was likely to have put on considerable amounts of weight by the end of the mission.
The article says “With the exception of weightlessness and radiation, the crew will experience most other aspects of long-haul space travel, such as cramped conditions, a high workload, lack of privacy, and limited supplies.”
Well I’m glad about the lack of radiation and slightly disappointed about not being able to experience weightlessness (which would have come in handy on a boring Sunday afternoon, think of the fun that could have been had) I can think of few things less appealing than spending a continued period of time locked up with five other people, with no escape - and you don’t actually even get to go to Mars.
The article makes some other, slightly alarming, points.
“In all, 12 European volunteers will be needed. They must be aged 25-50, be in good health, have "high motivation" and stand up to 185cm tall. Smokers, or those with other addictions, to alcohol or illicit drugs, for example, will be rejected.”
What is concerning is that only 6 people will take part in the experiment, so what happens to the other 6? Are they spares in case the original six get destroyed in a freak accident?
“European scientists have been asked to submit proposals for experiments in the areas of psychology, medicine, physiology and mission operations.”
So think ‘guinea pig trapped in a cage from which there is no escape’ and you may come back mentally unhinged or with slightly less limbs than you started with, but it will be for the good of science…
“Mounting a mission to Mars would face many other hurdles, not least of which would be shielding the crew against the potentially deadly dose of radiation they would receive on the journey.”
Well quite…
Anyway, I did send the article to G, who is looking for a new job at the moment, to which I received a reply “Are you trying to get rid of me for 17 months?” I said no, that I would pine the entire time and would eat Mars bars so that we could still feel close – but was likely to have put on considerable amounts of weight by the end of the mission.
2 comments:
"... such as cramped conditions, a high workload, lack of privacy, and limited supplies."
Hmm, I think you have been duped. It's an endemol ad for housemates for BB9 :P
haha, I crack myself up.
Can you imagine what 17 months of Big Brother would be like though?? *shudders at the thought*
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