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Longest US Space Mission Planned For 2015
SchrodingerZ writes "Captain Scott Kelly, brother of former commander Mark Kelly, will embark on the United States' longest manned space mission, set for 2015. Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will spend an entire year on the orbiting International Space Station. The mission will be a first for NASA's space program, but it is far from the world record. The longest recorded time in space was the 438-day mission of Russia's Valery Polyakov, working on the Mir Space Station, 1994-1995. Kelly, a decorated Navy captain, received degrees from State University of New York Maritime College and the University of Tennessee, and was the flight engineer for space station expedition 25, and commander of expedition 26 in 2010. 'Kornienko hails from Russia's Syzran, Kuibyshev, region and has worked in the space industry since 1986.' The yearlong study on humans working in space will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, spring 2015."
OK, you win. Weirdest comment on Slashdot today.
I don't think it's a coincidence that one of the 'related' stories is entitled "Do Recreational Drugs Help Programmers?".
The answer in your case is obvious. Put the funny cigarette down.
Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
Would a gyro chamber(spins around enough to simulate slight gravity) for sleeping work?
My understanding is that this has been tried and it does help a little. I don't have a citation for it however.
It has been:
438 days - Valeri Polyakov
380 days - Sergei Avdeyev
365 days - Vladimir Titov and Musa Manarov
327 days - Yuri Romanenko
241 days - Valeri Polyakov
etc.
As I understand it, one issue is the size of the chamber. If it is too small--even if it is enclosed--you end up getting motion sickness. So you end up needing a pretty big space to sleep in.
That said, there were plans to research such things on ISS. Unfortunately, the money dropped out and so it becomes a tourist attraction.
With the fiscal cliff approaching and politicians bickering back and forth...I can think of some better people to send to space for a YEAR!
My God can beat up your God. Just kidding...don't take offense. I know there's no God.
As far as I know, Mark Kelley has not been stripped of his rank as implied in the summary.
.: Semper Absurda
The Russians already have proven the ability of a man to live 15 months in space. Mind you, that was in low earth orbit. Still, within Earth's magnetic field.
Going to Mars will require either invulnerable spacemen, or (b) adequate shielding. The current candidate for that is the water needed for the trip.
This is bullshit. Weightlessness is a problem because of atrophy and bone loss, yes. But *The Russians already did that. They sent up guys in a can in orbit for a LONG time* on Mir. Due to bungee cords, they came home fine. The most rational response to their work is to conclude that any manned missions to Mars should have artificial gravity. It's also bullshit because *we already know from plenty of Earth-based observations that radiation is bad!* and that once outside our planet's magnetic field the particles need to be shielded from.
Okay, put a man in a chamber and expose him to high levels of radiation for 18 months? No, you build a spaceship with shielding. But no one loves me. No one listens to me. The goal should be really and truly be boots on Mars, not political grandstanding about nothing.
Magellan & co. went around the world in 1519. Around 60 years later, Drake made the 2nd trip.
Magellan did it to be "first" to find the western route to the Spice Islands (and profits). Drake did it more for nationalism (and profits).
Note that even though the first trip made enough money to pay for the project, there was still a 2-3 generation time lag before it was done again.
Similarities come to mind when considering that the US landed on the moon 60 years ago. We went to the moon to be "first", and for nationalism (and profits? not so much, directly).
It seems that if history is an example, the second set of folks to the moon will be because of nationalism (and profits), and it won't be the same folks who went the first time.
This can be looked at a couple of ways:
1) We're a dead, decaying society, spiraling to oblivion, and won't ever get anyone anywhere, anyhow, anyways.
2) Been there, done that. See you on Mars!
His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
If you guys donated your tinfoil hats to the cause, at least the effects of radiation exposure on the trip to Mars could be minimised.
"Be nice, veer left, and never stop thinking" Iain Banks - Walking On Glass
Unlike everyone else in the military then, since none of them pick up ribbons and medals with the same frequency, inevitability and significance as civvies pick up coughs and rashes.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
I think there should be a short-term "-1 for mentioning the fucking fiscal cliff" moderation option.
To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
a lifeform capable of jumping hosts is no longer cancer.
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
Good morning Fruit Loops.
--- If the bible proves the existence of God, then Superman comics prove the existence of Superman.
Yup, that was my source. Now leave a little something in the tip jar on your way out please.