Training for Journey to Mars starts

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Source: CCTV.com | 04-01-2009 08:59

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It may be over 20 years before a human journey to Mars will be possible, but six volunteers have already embarked on a 105-day simulated trip. The group is testing how humans cope with the long periods of isolation needed for an epic journey to the Red Planet.

Participants in an experiment that simulates the spacial  confines experienced during a trip to Mars pose for a  picture before entering a test champer in Moscow March 31,  2009. Six volunteers sealed themselves off in cramped  modules on Tuesday, embarking on a 105-day simulated  trip to Mars to test physical and psycholigical effects  of isolatation of an odyssey to the Red Planet. Pictured  are (L-R): Sergei Ryazansky, Aleksey Baranov, Aleskey  Shpakov, Cyrille Fournier, Oliver Knickel and Oleg Artemev.  REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin

The male crew of four Russians, one German and one Frenchman smiled and waved to cameras, before sealing themselves in cramped compartments in an imitation spaceship at a Russian research institute.

Reaching Mars on current space ships would take at least 500 days. It would subject astronauts to massive doses of radiation and cost tens of billions of dollars. Russian officials say the earliest such flight could be expected no earlier than 2030.