Testing some Russians under isolation seems to be the Russian Space Agency’s idea to see how people would deal with the isolation for a journey to Mars.

They plan on locking six volunteers away for 500 days to learn more about how they handle it. Monitored on CCTV and microphones, the faux-cosmonauts will breathe recycled air and eat sterilised food packages, much like people would on a space mission.

Despite the constant monitoring, contact with the outside world will be limited to email, with long delays before replies are sent, as would be the case on a real journey to Mars.

The experiment is scheduled to start in late 2007, but the Russian Space Agency is seeking volunteers now to undergo a lengthy screening process.

Applicants must be relatively young, fit, speak fluent English, and be qualified to University diploma level. They will then be subject to stringent medical and psychological tests to make sure they have what it takes to live in a space ship for 18 months, and properly document the experience.

Wouldn’t that be wild? And delayed e-mail. I would die!

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