[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Russian scientists are selecting volunteers to be locked in a capsule for 500 days to test plans for a trip to Mars.

The mock mission is designed to simulate the tough conditions of a space trip to the Red Planet.

A team of six men will be physically cut off from the outside world to test equipment intended to make them self-sufficient for long periods.

Their capsule will consist of a bedroom, a kitchen and a laboratory.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4076421.stm

I wouldn't last a week no matter how entertaining it was in there.

[SafariX]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
Russian scientists are selecting volunteers to be locked in a capsule for 500 days to test plans for a trip to Mars.

The mock mission is designed to simulate the tough conditions of a space trip to the Red Planet.

A team of six men will be physically cut off from the outside world to test equipment intended to make them self-sufficient for long periods.

Their capsule will consist of a bedroom, a kitchen and a laboratory.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4076421.stm

I wouldn't last a week no matter how entertaining it was in there.

This was too easy SWG.

Even with six men?

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by SafariX:
This was too easy SWG.

Even with six men?

I think that was the point of me saying "No matter how entertaining".

But ya, you didn't try very hard

[turtle777]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
Russian scientists are selecting volunteers to be locked in a capsule for 500 days to test plans for a trip to Mars.

Nah, they'll do it soon in less than 90 days...

Key word: magnetized beam plasma propulsion

http://www.washington.edu/alumni/uwn...cle_space.html

-t

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by turtle777:
Nah, they'll do it soon in less than 90 days...

Key word: magnetized beam plasma propulsion

http://www.washington.edu/alumni/uwn...cle_space.html

-t

They might want to tell that to the people they are about to lock in a room for 500.

[SafariX]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
I think that was the point of me saying "No matter how entertaining".

But ya, you didn't try very hard

Wanna know whats really sad? The fact that I thought entertaining meant xbox, dvds and stabbing yourself to see your blood float.

[CD Hanks]

I could do it.

I'd probably freak out at the sight of a red desert in the middle of the whole trip, but the 500 day isolation period I could deal with.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by CD Hanks:
I could do it.

I'd probably freak out at the sight of a red desert in the middle of the whole trip, but the 500 day isolation period I could deal with.

Really? Even if you are with 5 other people that you might end up hating? And no sunshine?

[DeathToWindows]

No thank you. I was looking at a sleep study that would have meant 9 days in one room, and I passed on that...

[Superchicken]

I could do with no sunshine, but they'd have to have at least a few rooms. And sociable people. That said if they all ended up being arrogant asses like my former roomie then I'd shoot everyone.

If you filled it with enough people that were cool it'd be OK. And I have to wonder if in a year of no contact with a woman SWG wouldn't have much trouble finding someone to have fun with.

That said if they gave me a up to date Mac, with a huge HD holding several seasons of several good shows, I'd be happy. And a few good books and bible translations.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by DeathToWindows:
No thank you. I was looking at a sleep study that would have meant 9 days in one room, and I passed on that...

My friend also bailed on a sleep study because the first one he took kept him a a room for 2 days. He went nuts.

[Skip Breakfast]

I'd do it.... for maybe a meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllyon doll-errrrrrs.

[AB^2=BCxAC]

Anyone here read Papillon?

[TheBadgerHunter]

Sure, presuming there was sufficient access to a massive amount of books (400 should do), movies, tv shows, and games.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by TheBadgerHunter:
Sure, presuming there was sufficient access to a massive amount of books (400 should do), movies, tv shows, and games.

I don't think they would as they would want to test a real flight to mars and they don't have much room for books and DVDs.

[fireside]

they should film it and then sell it to MTV so MTV can make a "Real World" out of it.

[Superchicken]

Gimmie and Xserve RAID, a T3 line, Bittorrent Client, account on the iTMS, and a few days to use em before entering (and allow me to keep em) and I might be able to stay sane. There would have to be some really good books though. And some really interesting people. If they could keep me connected to the internet during it I'd be fine, but I doubt that'd be doable.

But I'd get really bored. And I'd probably miss seeing new people.

[Turias]

Please tell me they are getting a ton of cash for "volunteering".

[CD Hanks]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
Really? Even if you are with 5 other people that you might end up hating? And no sunshine?

Yeah, I think so. I'd either a) get along with them b) hate their guts and act as the reclusive one or c) have them turn against one another.

The sunshine bit might be tough though. I've heard that humans actually need sunshine to stay healthy. Hello heatlamps?

[macaddict0001]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
I don't think they would as they would want to test a real flight to mars and they don't have much room for books and DVDs.

Don't forget about ebooks
you could download them over the communication channel when it wasn't being used, you could have literally thousands in the space of a harddrive.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by CD Hanks:
Yeah, I think so. I'd either a) get along with them b) hate their guts and act as the reclusive one or c) have them turn against one another.

The sunshine bit might be tough though. I've heard that humans actually need sunshine to stay healthy. Hello heatlamps?

That test that Nasa did in the late 80's or early 90's had that problem. They shacked up 5 people in a HUGE biodome (the size of a few houses) and they all ended up almost killing one another.

[CD Hanks]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
That test that Nasa did in the late 80's or early 90's had that problem. They shacked up 5 people in a HUGE biodome (the size of a few houses) and they all ended up almost killing one another.

Welcome to the human race.

[Axo1ot1]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
That test that Nasa did in the late 80's or early 90's had that problem. They shacked up 5 people in a HUGE biodome (the size of a few houses) and they all ended up almost killing one another.

But then Pauley Shore broke in and threw a beach party, so everything was okay.

[yakkiebah]

Originally posted by CD Hanks:
Welcome to the human race.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Originally posted by Axo1ot1:
But then Pauley Shore broke in and threw a beach party, so everything was okay.

Can you imagine being locked in a room with him for 500 days!?!!

[AB^2=BCxAC]

Originally posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker:
Can you imagine being locked in a room with him for 500 days!?!!

But I loved Encino Man.

[Sherwin]

Me and five other guys? No way.
Me and five Brazillian supermodels? Easy.

[AB^2=BCxAC]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Me and five other guys? No way.
Me and five Brazillian supermodels? Easy.

Dude, fantasies are always easy. Now picture in your mind the reality by checking these likely facts:

1. They will all think you're ugly and boring. Even if they think you're cute for a minute, it will be in a "like my little cousin" kind of way.
2. Each one is narcissistic and a bit psycho.
3. In five years, they'll all look a bit more like their mothers.
4. You'll wind up being "one of the girls" and will likely be forced to talk about your feelings as a routine.
5. They'll refuse to think about sex with you and will probably be on the phone or emailing their real boyfriends for hours a day.
6. Passive aggressive tendencies galore.
7. It's very likely the only nudity you'll see will be in the bathroom mirror, when you're alone.

[Cipher13]

Hell no. I wouldn't have a chance.

No fresh air? No beach? No water? Nothing green or natural looking? No hotness? No internet/comp? No privacy? No phone? No beer?

Forget it.

[Cipher13]

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
Dude, fantasies are always easy. Now picture in your mind the reality by checking these likely facts:

1. They will all think you're ugly and boring. Even if they think you're cute for a minute, it will be in a "like my little cousin" kind of way.
2. Each one is narcissistic and a bit psycho.
3. In five years, they'll all look a bit more like their mothers.
4. You'll wind up being "one of the girls" and will likely be forced to talk about your feelings as a routine.
5. They'll refuse to think about sex with you and will probably be on the phone or emailing their real boyfriends for hours a day.
6. Passive aggressive tendencies galore.
7. It's very likely the only nudity you'll see will be in the bathroom mirror, when you're alone.

How about nymphomaniacal Brazillian supermodels, then?

[wdlove]

I applied for a best study for NASA here in Boston. It was conducted at Tufts University. I wasn't accepted because of my height of 6' 8". The said that the equipment wasn't designed for that.

[mitchell_pgh]

Could I do it... yes...

Would I want to do it... no...

[ASIMO]

Originally posted by Cipher13:
Hell no. I wouldn't have a chance.

No fresh air? No beach? No water? Nothing green or natural looking? No hotness? No internet/comp? No privacy? No phone? No beer?

Forget it.

But you do get recycled urine, which is probably comparable to some beers.

[AB^2=BCxAC]

Originally posted by Cipher13:
How about nymphomaniacal Brazillian supermodels, then?

Again, imagine the reality after a few weeks. Would they all stay interested in group sex? Eventually, you'd pair off. Maybe they'd be less obliging and interested after a month. There would be self-esteem issues for the women left out of a relationship. You couldn't serial date them all, because that would be too emotionally destructive to the group. The fighting and misery would overcome everyone. They'd let themselves go for 3 years in the middle, and just eat and complain. There would be constant yelling and bickering and fighting about the lack of sex of the quality and quantity they had before the project. Then in the last few months, they would rush to get back in shape, and would be day dreaming about meeting a real boyfriend (or girlfriend) in the real world, having totally given up on hedonism, after all the fighting and learning to despise sex.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
1. They will all think you're ugly and boring. Even if they think you're cute for a minute, it will be in a "like my little cousin" kind of way.

Of course, this only applies if I were a geek who didn't date models.
As Zimph would say, you're projecting.

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
2. Each one is narcissistic and a bit psycho.

I like that in a woman.

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
3. In five years, they'll all look a bit more like their mothers.

500 days, not 5 years.

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
4. You'll wind up being "one of the girls" and will likely be forced to talk about your feelings as a routine.

As the great man Dave lee Roth once said: I always bring two of 'em 'coz if there's any chance of any conversation, I don't have to get involved.

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
5. They'll refuse to think about sex with you and will probably be on the phone or emailing their real boyfriends for hours a day.

Again, this supposes that I'm a geek and not already in the habit of dating models.

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
6. Passive aggressive tendencies galore.

Yeah! Fun!

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
7. It's very likely the only nudity you'll see will be in the bathroom mirror, when you're alone.

'Coz Brazillians have American-style problems with nudity.

[Sherwin]

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
Again, imagine the reality after a few weeks. Would they all stay interested in group sex? Eventually, you'd pair off. Maybe they'd be less obliging and interested after a month. There would be self-esteem issues for the women left out of a relationship. You couldn't serial date them all, because that would be too emotionally destructive to the group. The fighting and misery would overcome everyone. They'd let themselves go for 3 years in the middle, and just eat and complain. There would be constant yelling and bickering and fighting about the lack of sex of the quality and quantity they had before the project. Then in the last few months, they would rush to get back in shape, and would be day dreaming about meeting a real boyfriend (or girlfriend) in the real world, having totally given up on hedonism, after all the fighting and learning to despise sex.

Wow. You sound like a man who doesn't know how to keep his harem in order. Your prescription: drink more beer and listen to more rock and roll.

[Visnaut]

This study is pointless.

The fact is, no one is going to send astronauts to Mars, and expect them to stay there a reasonable amount of time, unless they

1. Develop a faster, reliable, method of propulsion
2. Make it reasonably comfortable
3. Have enough things to keep their mind entertained, in addition to their duties.

Stuff like daily video letters from home, news updates from around the world, a library of a few thousand songs on a hard drive, in addition to eBooks, as mentioned above. Etc., etc...

On a long-duration flight, you're going to have to be exercising on a regular basis anyway, so why not make the exercise room also be the entertainment room. So they can read/watch/listen to whatever they like while they keep in shape, not unlike an actual gym.

Stuff like that is why this study is doomed to failure. It will glean nothing we don't already know, if only that a trip to Mars is going to have to be designed keeping the travelers happy, not mission planners.

[AB^2=BCxAC]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
Wow. You sound like a man who doesn't know how to keep his harem in order. Your prescription: drink more beer and listen to more rock and roll.

Sorry. You're right. You may be god's gift to women. Who knows.

Believe me, I'm not projecting, I'm only invoking the one assumption I make about everyone I talk to blindly on the net: everyone is a pimply 14 year-old who plays Magic the Gathering at the food court.

Lord knows its wrong to make lump stereotypes. Some of you might even prefer Warcraft, or *shudder*, are in university.

[cszar2001]

Just read the chapter about psychological problems of Space travel in "Safe Passage" and you know what`s going to happen to those people.
Several missions had to be aborted because of that.
On one Space shuttle mission the commander even stopped talking to ground control!
500 days? Gimme a break.

[DeathToWindows]

Originally posted by ASIMO:
But you do get recycled urine, which is probably comparable to beer.

Fixed.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally posted by Sherwin:
'Coz Brazillians have American-style problems with nudity.

and i could totally do it.

[rozwado1]

I love not reading a thread for a few days and then reading the last post.

Naked Brazilians - wtf?

[wolfen]

REAL WORLD: TRIP TO MARS.

John: You better not all have a problem with me because I'm gay.

silence.

John: I'm seriously gonna get real with anyone who gives me any trouble.

silence.

John: 'Cause it's going to be a lo...


Astronaut #2: John, just shut the fk up.

[Cipher13]

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
Again, imagine the reality after a few weeks. Would they all stay interested in group sex? Eventually, you'd pair off. Maybe they'd be less obliging and interested after a month. There would be self-esteem issues for the women left out of a relationship. You couldn't serial date them all, because that would be too emotionally destructive to the group. The fighting and misery would overcome everyone. They'd let themselves go for 3 years in the middle, and just eat and complain. There would be constant yelling and bickering and fighting about the lack of sex of the quality and quantity they had before the project. Then in the last few months, they would rush to get back in shape, and would be day dreaming about meeting a real boyfriend (or girlfriend) in the real world, having totally given up on hedonism, after all the fighting and learning to despise sex.

Fine, **** it, Brazillian supermodel sex robots with flashable memory. One starts to learn? Bam! Back to base.

Though Brazillian girls don't do it for me, personally (unless I'm feeling charitable).

[Superchicken]

You'd have to get all kinds of people with similar music taste, or really good head phones.

[Person Man]

Originally posted by Cipher13:
Brazillian supermodel sex robots with flashable memory.

WHAT???