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Simulated Mars Mission 'Returns' After 520 Days
On June 3, 2010, a team of six volunteers began the Mars500 experiment: they were locked into a cluster of hermetically sealed habitat modules for the duration of a simulated mission to Mars lasting 520 days. "During the ‘flight,' the crew performed more than 100 experiments, all linked to the problems of long-duration missions in deep space. To add to their isolation, communications with mission control were artificially delayed to mimic the natural delays over the great distances on a real Mars flight." The simulated mission has now come to an end. The crew managed to stay healthy and sane, and they've emerged from isolation to be reunited with their families. The ESA's Mars500 page has further details on the experiment, and they've posted a video summarizing the 'trip.'
They so should have greeted the emerging "astronauts" wearing gorilla, chimp, and orangutan masks.
http://alternatives.rzero.com/
>> they were locked into a cluster of hermetically sealed habitat modules... ...lined with newspaper, and full of wood shavings and exercise wheels.
It's Ascension Sunday.
It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
Doesn't matter. You want the launch craft as light as possible, so you wouldn't send an American anyways. :)
"None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license." --John Milton
I'd imagine that without knocking a random passerby on the head and waking them up on a fake spacecraft, it is extremely difficult to recreate the feeling of being out there.
FUN
I think this is all a hoax. I think they really went to Mars.
"If you think the problem is bad now, just wait until we've solved it." --- Arthur Kasspe