Comments on: Mars500 Mission – An Exercise in Isolation

By: David Harmon

David Harmon — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:21:10 +0000

Of course, this is only one of the several challenges facing any such mission. Besides the isolation issue, there’s the support/biosphere issue (note the abject failure of “Biosphere 2” and similar experiments), the zero-gravity issue, the radiation problem, and the many challenges of actually getting humans from orbit to the planetary surface. (Let alone if you want them to come back….) That’s just offhand, I may have missed a few!

By: Greg P

Greg P — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:15:29 +0000

Things like this are, I think, a reality check to the longstanding science fiction idea of travelling to other solar systems, other galaxies.
Yes, I suppose one can envision some sort of workable suspended animation, some long distance propulsion for such a vehicle, but what of the psychological consequences? Taking such a trip with no hope of returning, or returning when everyone you knew was long dead, returning to a society where you are not needed and not welcome, maybe returning to a lifeless Earth…

By: chairman meow

chairman meow — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:55:38 +0000

There are so many potential health and other issues w/ the Mars trip, maybe this experiment will allow them to experience ones they hadn’t even thought of. good idea not to bring females, god-forbid one would get pregnant during the trip.

i guess things like blood clots are also a fear, not to mention otherwise dormant mental health issues? I can’t imagine how they would do such a trip…

By: Matt M

Matt M — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:09:14 +0000

How about communication with the outside world? I would think that there would be a built in delay to the voice and video communication. It would get longer as the subjects get further from “Earth”. That would be hard, falling out of touch with friends and family, and the loss of the ability to have a true conversation. There would be only questions, answers, and statements – and waiting for a hour or more for a response.

By: Kendra

Kendra — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 02:14:17 +0000

Very cool. I’m also very happy to read that someone had the incredibly bright idea to perform an experiment involving isolation and vodka. Brilliant research, really!

By: robin andrea

robin andrea — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:41:56 +0000

Fortunately, experiments like this are probably self-selecting. People who think they can endure such privations are drawn to them. I would never step foot in a place like that. I already know it would drive me insane. As you say, many have endured far more stark and serious deprivations without the incentive of scientific study. It will be interesting to watch how this unfolds.

By: Arkayeff

Arkayeff — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:37:30 +0000

This makes “Big Brother” look like a children’s tea party. Do you think they will squabble and form little sub=groups. Sounds like hell to me.

Is this impulse to put ourselves in peril something that has resulted in humans achieving so much, as well as giving rise to The Darwin Awards.

http://www.darwinawards.com/