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Scientists Enter Hawaii Dome In Eight-Month Mars Space Mission Study (reuters.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the study-learn-and-repeat dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Six scientists have entered a dome perched atop a remote volcano in Hawaii where they will spend the next eight months in isolation to simulate life for astronauts traveling to Mars, the University of Hawaii said. The study is designed to help NASA better understand human behavior and performance during long space missions as the U.S. space agency explores plans for a manned mission to the Red Planet. The crew will perform geological field work and basic daily tasks in the 1,200-square-foot (365 m) dome, located in an abandoned quarry 8,000 feet (2.5 km) above sea level on the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawaii's Big Island. There is little vegetation and the scientists will have no contact with the outside world, said the university, which operates the dome. Communications with a mission control team will be time-delayed to match the 20-minute travel time of radio waves passing between Earth and Mars. "Daily routines include food preparation from only shelf-stable ingredients, exercise, research and fieldwork aligned with NASA's planetary exploration expectations," the university said. The project is intended to create guidelines for future missions to Mars, some 35 million miles (56 million km) away, a long-term goal of the U.S. human space program. The NASA-funded study, known as the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (Hi-SEAS), is the fifth of its kind.

4 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Wow. by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm truly impressed by how far some Americans are willing to go to escape a Trump presidency. ;)

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    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:Wow. by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Folks, we need to find a spot that most closely simulates the brutal conditions on Mars. Or we could go to Hawaii. Let's see a show of hands in favor of Hawaii.

    2. Re: Wow. by Rewind · · Score: 3, Funny

      The top of Mount Everest seems the most logical to me. It's really fucking cold and the atmosphere is thin enough to kill you. Just set up a shelter that has a heavily tinted sun roof.

      || Mount Everest Mars Project - Administrator Log ||

      Day 1 - Per ArmoredDragon's suggestions we have constructed a dome on Everest. Sun roof is nice. Moral is good and we begin the study tomorrow. History will remember us as giants of our era!
      Day 4 - Experiments progressing nicely!
      Day 12 - Today a tourist climbing group came by. Most of them just chucked used oxygen bottles at us, but one waved. These are likely to be the last climbers of the year.
      Day 20 - It is getting very cold in the dome, we lost 3 researchers today.
      Day 31 - Lost 7 today, but our work is invaluable! Moral seems to be holding.
      Day 34 - Only one lost today. Sun roof has collapsed. Bob already ate the last of the Soup at Hand... Screw Bob.
      Day 42 - Lost 2 more researchers. Moral starting to decline, but we found Mallory and Irvine's camera and it looks like we will be able to develop the film! EXCITEMENT!
      Day 43 - Film only contains dick pics... 4 more researchers lost. Moral extremely low.
      Day 46 - 3 lost... Food has run dry. Forced to 'repurpose' research subject Bob...
      Day 49 - Lost 8 more today... down to shoe and belt leather rations. Moral continues to decline. Sent 2 to base camp for help.
      Day 53 - WHY DIDN'T WE JUST STICK WITH HAWAII?!? WHY WON'T YOU MONSTERS COME GET US? WHY?!?!?

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  2. THE HAWAII DOME by bistromath007 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Two scientists enter, five scientists leave.