University of Hawaii / Angelo Vermeulen
Exactly one year ago the “astronauts” volunteers were stuck in the “space” base. The intent of the “mission” HI-SEAS is to check how they would survive all that time in a Martian base, away from everything they want and know.
Of course, not talking or real astronauts, or a base on the red planet. Not even a mission, itself. It’s just an experiment. The fourth of them in particular.
And six people have been participants of the latter. Six people have had virtually contact with the outside world since entering through the door of the installation. What we have taken clear?
HI-SEAS, Mars on Earth
HI-SEAS is an acronym for Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation, an experiment conducted by NASA and supported by various private entities. The facilities represent a potential base on Mars. But obviously they not located on Mars, but on the slopes of Mauna Loa, one of the most famous volcanoes of Hawaii.
A 2,500 meters above sea level, the volcanic terrain could well simulate martian surface. The only problem is that a little beyond, the snowy slopes of the volcano betrays the senses. But that’s not important. And is that the six scientists to simulate the mission have been “locked up” inside, with some scheduled departures (clad in spacesuits) in order to analyze their reaction.
HI-SEAS
Because when you find a home almost two years in a hostile environment without being able to leave a small and limited space, the individual reactions are almost unpredictable. We say almost because the main objective of HI-SEAS is precisely to study in detail the human behavior in a similar situation they live astronauts traveling to Mars.
In this way we can anticipate potential problems, creating the most comfortable and pleasant environment possible in such a complex mission. Members of the “crew” of HI-SEAS have had to learn to live on Mars, but being on our planet. And observers NASA, in turn, have learned how to facilitate coexistence.
The fourth mission
As mentioned earlier, HI-SEAS IV is the fourth of these adventures scientific. The first one started in 2013 with a first “mission” of just four months. Although the fundamentals are the same, this has been the longest of all, with 366 days of “exploration”. Scientists have had to live in small cubicles sharing a bathroom, communal living quarters and other units.
In their daily lives have conducted various experiments and tasks that explored the intricacies of coexistence and teamwork. As has developed the experiment, the duration has been lengthened, which exploited by NASA scientists for information. This fourth mission has had six scientists from around the world as members of the “crew”. That’s how we have lived
How is to live in HI-SEAS
Sheyna E. Gifford, medical and official chronicler of the group, explained the details of the mission, which has focused on group cohesion. According to her, she has not had time to feel lonely at any time. Not only by members of the group, but because any communication with the outside world (or our planet, which is what is simulated) is only twenty minutes away in time.
Most difficult for members, he explains, it is to leave their daily lives and their families; but it is something that is counted from the beginning of the mission. Moreover, scientists, like astronauts, would be subject to constant activities that require them to work in teams: experiments, group dynamics, reviews …
This life “controlled” is necessary in such a small car, where you can not leave out of space to rest psychologically. The data obtained, in fact, used to optimize these dynamics and needs of the real crew, in the future. In the opinion of Dr. Kim Binsted, lead researcher in charge of the “mission” HI-SEAS, has been a success.
We collected data of all kinds to better face the journey to the planet Red. This seems to also think NASA has already funded the HI-SEAS 2019. And is that all information is limited when we speak of what will be probably the most important journey of our history. And we prepared to do everything for everyone.
Original article here.
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