Russian scientists to test run Mars trip

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-20-2007 08:30

RAS scientists are completing the construction of a mock-up spaceship which will simulate a voyage to Mars.

Scientists in Russia are preparing for a possible future trip to Mars. By simulating living conditions astronauts could experience on a flight to the Red Planet, scientists hope to learn more about what an actual voyage might be like.

In the Russian Academy of Sciences, engineers and scientists are completing the construction of a mock-up spaceship which will simulate a voyage to Mars.

The project -- called Mars-500 -- is due to start in 2008. It will test the endurance of six volunteers, locked in a grounded 'spaceship' for at least 500 days.

Mars is more than 56 million kilometres from Earth, and a one-way trip could take approximately 250 days.

Victor Baranov, Mars-500 Project Leader, said, "We consider that 500 days is enough to test the facilities to estimate the conditions of people in this chamber test and counter measures and other means and methods of medical support during a flight to Mars."

The study covers all aspects of a Martian mission, down to the smallest details.

The volunteers will remain confined to six modules: there living quarters with individual cabins, an exercise room and a storage area for food and supplies. There will also be a bio-medical and laboratory area, and one module recreating the Martian surface.

Mars is more than 56 million kilometres from Earth, and a one-way trip could take approximately 250 days.

After the simulated take-off, the astronauts will be isolated from the outside world.

Evgeny Demin, Mars-500 Tech. Director, said, "When we started to conceive and prepare this project, we did so by identifying the essential differences between a flight to Mars and today's orbital flights. Most importantly, being unable to re-supply the crew with food or fuel, or to replace a crew member in an emergency."

Cameras will be documenting the volunteers' reactions in various situations.

Russian Mir astronaut Valeri Polyakov holds the current record for the longest continuous spaceflight: 437 days. For the Russians and their mock-up space ship, a five hundred day journey to Mars seems potentially within reach.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei