When I really think about a manned mission to Mars, the psychological aspect is the first to hit me. Imagine being confined to a spartan space with the same five people for over two years. A few weeks after launch, you lose the ability to communicate with mission control directly and have to rely on communications with a delayed response time of 20 minutes or even written communication. When you look out the window, there's only black pockmarked by thousands of stars. Unless the sun is in the window, in which case it's all you'll see. Or you might see everything red, depending on where you are on your journey.In any case, just imagining that level of isolation is unsettling. In the interest of determining the main psychological problems associated with a manned mission to Mars and developing preemptive countermeasures, simulation programs exist. Two programs in particular are dedicated to studying effects of isolation on a crew: the Mars Society's Desert Research Stations and the European/Russian/Chinese Mars 500 program.The first men to travel to Mars will experience something unique; the isolation and confinement associated with spaceflight is not an everyday occurrence. The closest approximation to a Martian mission — in terms of the psychological effects — that men have ever experienced is a long duration deployment on a submarine.A submarine is sort of similar to a spacecraft. Both have an absence of Earthly comforts like fresh air; sunlight; plant life; the color green and fresh food. What's more, both come with inescapable companions thanks to the claustrophobically confined space.But the similarities are sort of superficial. Compared to a small Mars-bound spacecraft, a submarine is downright luxurious. With crews of hundreds, not only are there more people to socialize with, but the space needed to house everyone requires ample space and even provides individuals some opportunity to enjoy a brief, if rare, moment of solitude. Spacecraft, however, have their own luxuries. Windows to let in sunlight and a view of the Earth break the feeling of isolation at least a little.So, how on Earth (literally) can a simulation prepare astronauts for the isolation they will face when going to Mars?The Mars Society's ongoing Desert Research Station studies put volunteer 'astronauts' in a simulated Martian environment for two weeks at a time. The simulated Mars is a natural Earthly place like the desert in Arizona or the great Canadian North – environments that approximate the terrain found on Mars.The crew lives and works in a single cylindrical habitat with only the barest essentials for comfort, necessary food portioned out for each astronaut by meal, and minimal water for consumption and hygiene. "Astronauts" only go outside in full simulated pressure suits to conduct field tests. They communicate with "mission control" in Colorado with a 20-minute time delay – the delay of radio communications between Mars and Earth. They also live on a schedule of Martian days, which are 39 minutes longer than Earth days.Through these field tests, the Mars Society has been able to make some conclusions on what a crew needs to stay happy (this is how the strict food and water rations were determined) and what type of men and women should make up these crews. Incidentally, the Mars Society's recommendation is a mixed gender crew of four: two mechanics and two field scientists.The Mars 500 program takes Martian simulation a step further, putting a "crew" of six: two Europeans, three Russians, and one Chinese — all men — through a full mission, not just a two week taste. The subjects, who began their simulated mission on June 3, 2010, were chosen because they encompass working experience in the many fields including medicine, engineering, biology and computer engineering. They provide data on stress levels, hormone regulation and immunity, sleep quality, mood, and the effectiveness of dietary supplements when in a confined space with limited contacts.Compared to the Mars Desert Station habitat, the Mars 500 facility is luxurious. Four hermetically sealed interconnected habitat modules, in addition to one external module used to simulate the Martian surface, make up the Mars 500 facility. The 'crew' has a space to exercise, relax, work, and with only six men, some ability to find a quiet corner if need be.The Mars 500 crew will "land" back on Earth in November 2011, so we'll have to wait for the verdict on what psychological factors emerged during the study and what countermeasures may be adopted.Both the Mars Desert Station and the Mars 500 programs have their limitations. With regard to the former, the two week duration is hardly long enough to determine what a crew needs to maintain sanity. The latter program gets closer to answering these questions with its long duration simulation. But can either of these studies really approximate what a crew will likely experience upon arriving on Mars?What strikes me as the biggest limitation, however, is the simple fact that all Martian simulations thus far are on Earth. No matter how little communication a crew has with the outside world or how physically isolated they are, they can't forget that they're actually on Earth. The familiar pull of the Earth's gravity and the feeling of the atmosphere bearing down on your body doesn't disappear in a confined space. Psychologically, these crews know they're on Earth, that they are being monitored closely, and that help is minutes away, not years.Is there any way to create the mental separation needed to really gather data on the psychological effects of a possible manned mission to Mars?ConnectionsFor a steady stream of video and articles on the culture of technology, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and RSS.
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