Preparing for Mars

Getting a group of human beings on to the red planet is one of NASA’s current projects. Needless to say it is one full of difficulties. Living on Mars will have it’s own set of challenges. In order to prepare these people for their strenuous and demanding journey, NASA is currently training them to survive the conditions that they will face in outer space right here on Earth.

Below the summit of the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii there are four men and two women living in a vinyl coated pod. They were selected from over seven hundred applicants, and now they are preparing themselves for the eight month long journey to Mars.

As part of the program they will live in cramped quarters to simulate the space craft. They will eat only frozen and dried food as such will be actually available to them for the long voyage. They will have twenty minute delay in relaying messages and responses to “Earth” like they would when travelling through space.

The science project is a simulation to check what problems the astronauts will face on their Mars adventure and just what all NASA needs to prepare them for. The researchers will also learn about team dynamics and human behavior during the project.