Live in a pretend Mars base for a year?

[Kyng]

https://news.sky.com/story/nasa-looking-...t-12375225

NASA is looking for applicants to spend a year pretending they are isolated on Mars.

The space agency wants people to apply so that it can prepare for eventually sending astronauts to the red planet.

Applications opened on Friday for four people to live for a year in Mars Dune Alpha.

The 1,700-square-foot Martian habitat, created by a 3D-printer, is based inside a building at Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.

There will be no windows, and the applicants will consume ready-to-eat space food.

---

Hmmm, I could maybe have done with this for the past year - being isolated from all the rubbish that's been happening on Earth . Though, life in there does sound rather restricted... it's not exactly a Hilton Hotel, and it'd probably get rather boring rather quickly .

Still, with only four places, there's going to be intense competition for a place on this mission. Good luck to the applicants!

[SpookyZalost]

I'd do it, I'm good at both emotional control and keeping myself busy with busywork when I'm not working on legitimate tasks.

I'm the sort that would probably be going over schematics to improve on existing systems using whatever knowledge I can gleam from what's available.

[Kyng]

I'd do it, I'm good at both emotional control and keeping myself busy with busywork when I'm not working on legitimate tasks.

I'm the sort that would probably be going over schematics to improve on existing systems using whatever knowledge I can gleam from what's available.

Yeah, probably well worth doing that when there isn't much else to do for a year. Furthermore, that work may well be helpful for a real mission to Mars .

(Or you could just grow potatoes in a makeshift farm ...)

[SpookyZalost]

Knowing what I've read about projects like this, they'd keep you busy doing tasks actual mars astronauts would be doing, stuff like monitoring life support, performing experiments, etc.

[Kyng]

Knowing what I've read about projects like this, they'd keep you busy doing tasks actual mars astronauts would be doing, stuff like monitoring life support, performing experiments, etc.

Yeah, that makes sense, given that these missions are intended as preparation for an actual mission to Mars .

Any tasks that you think you'd be particularly good or bad at?

[SpookyZalost]

Kyng well I actually studied botany in highschool, have a decent understanding of chemistry, and am amazing with technology, so monitoring and maintaining stuff as well as helping grow food and generate water would be good examples.

Any social or psychological stuff though I'd be bad at, if only because while I'm great at body language, if it's random people, the odds of them being fellow scientists would be up in the air.

It'd sorta be like being trapped in the big brother house from that 9th doctor Dr who episode, everyone else is just playing the game, I'm trying to figure it out and nothing makes sense.

It's also why I'd be terrible at those reality shows like survivor, amazing race, etc.

I'd ace the challenges but get voted out too quickly because I'm terrible at scheming and manipulation, instead relying on my ability to make life comfortable and random knowledge to make me valuable. and I'm too sincere and honest.

No idea if that would affect my chances on other shows like the bachelorette or love island but In an environment with random people, I'm the android lol.

[Kyng]

Kyng well I actually studied botany in highschool, have a decent understanding of chemistry, and am amazing with technology, so monitoring and maintaining stuff as well as helping grow food and generate water would be good examples.

Any social or psychological stuff though I'd be bad at, if only because while I'm great at body language, if it's random people, the odds of them being fellow scientists would be up in the air.

It'd sorta be like being trapped in the big brother house from that 9th doctor Dr who episode, everyone else is just playing the game, I'm trying to figure it out and nothing makes sense.

It's also why I'd be terrible at those reality shows like survivor, amazing race, etc.

I'd ace the challenges but get voted out too quickly because I'm terrible at scheming and manipulation, instead relying on my ability to make life comfortable and random knowledge to make me valuable. and I'm too sincere and honest.

No idea if that would affect my chances on other shows like the bachelorette or love island but In an environment with random people, I'm the android lol.

Honestly, I don't really care what my chances on Love Island would be... there's no way I'd ever even apply for that show !!!!

My chances on Survivor wouldn't be much better - both because I wouldn't be great at the scheming, and because I'd be bad at most of the challenges .

But still, I'd rather be good at getting food and water, and bad at socialising, than the other way around !!!

[Kyng]

Looks like this is set to start at the end of June:

https://phys.org/news/2023-05-scientist-year-mars.html

Good luck to all the chosen volunteers!

[ZandraJoi]

As much as I love space, I would decline this offer. Too many things can go wrong with the extreme isolation. I can see how they could get a jump on getting people for the future travel.

[Kyng]

As much as I love space, I would decline this offer. Too many things can go wrong with the extreme isolation. I can see how they could get a jump on getting people for the future travel.

Yeah, definitely.

Besides, as much as Earth has its problems, there are too many things, people and places I would miss during my year away!