Scientists Emerge After Eight-Month ‘Trip to Mars’
Scientists Emerge After Eight-Month ‘Trip to Mars’
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The dome where six scientists lived an isolated existence to simulate life on a mission to Mars, on the bleak slopes of dormant volcano Mauna Loa near Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii.Neil Scheibelhut—AP
Six scientists tasked with simulating life on Mars emerged on Saturday after eight months living under a dome located 8,000 feet above sea level in a dormant Hawaii volcano.
The six were part of a human performance study funded by NASA and had not left the dome without a spacesuit on since entering the study almost a year ago. Operating in complete isolation, the scientists were monitored by surveillance cameras, body-movement trackers and electronic surveys to track how they worked as a team.
PHOTOS: The Most Beautiful Panoramas and Mosaics From Opportunity’s Decade on Mars
Rover tracks disappear toward the horizon like the wake of a ship across the desolate sea of sand between the craters Endurance and Victoria on the Meridiani Plains. NASA— JPL-Caltech / Cornell UniversityThe Mars Rover Spirit took this sublime view of a sunset over the rim of Gusev Crater, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. NASA—JPL-Caltech / Texas A&M / CornellA false-color image of Endurance Crater. In this image, tendrils of sand less than 3.3 ft (1 m) high extend from the main dune field toward the rover. Dunes are a common feature across the surface of Mars. Before the rover headed down to the dunes, mission managers first established whether the slippery slope that led to them was firm enough to ensure a successful drive back out of the crater. Otherwise, the dune field would become a sand trap. NASA—JPL-Caltech / Cornell UniversityTiny spherules, photographed by Opportunity, pepper a sandy surface in this 1.2-in (3 cm) square view of the Martian soil. Nicknamed "blueberries" by mission scientists, the little pellets are actually hematites, an iron oxide typically formed in standing water—of which Mars once had plenty.NASA—JPL-Caltech / Cornell / USGS / Cathy WeitzSpirit obtained this view of the area called Home Plate while parked atop a formation called Husband Hill. The colors emphasize differences in rock weathering. A large dust devil appears as the V-shaped discoloration in the sky at the top right.NASA—JPL-Caltech / Cornell UniversityThe Opportunity rover used its panoramic camera to record the East Rim of Endeavor Crater, on October 31, 2010. The view is presented in false color to make differences in surface materials more visible. A portion of Endeavour Crater's eastern rim, nearly 19 miles (30 km) distant, is visible.NASA—JPL-Caltech / CornellNASA's Spirit rover acquired this false-color image after using its abrasion tool to brush the surfaces of rock targets informally named "Stars" (left) and "Crawfords" (right). Small streaks of dust extend for several centimeters behind the chips and pebbles in the dusty soil. NASA—JPL-Caltech / USGS / Cornell UniversityRover tracks disappear toward the horizon like the wake of a ship between the craters Endurance and Victoria on the Meridiani Plains. Opportunity took the image while stuck in the sand ripple dubbed Purgatory for over a month. This panorama (only partly shown here) was named Rub Al Khali after the “Empty Quarter” in the Arabian Desert.NASA—JPL-Caltech / Cornell University
“Astronauts are very stoic people, very level-headed, and there’s a certain hesitancy to report problems,” University of Hawaii professor Kim Binsted, principal investigator for the study, told the AP. “So this is a way for people on the ground to detect cohesion-related problems before they become a real issue.”
To release stress, the crew members could use a treadmill or stationary bike–only on sunny afternoons, however, because both were solar powered. Their diet consisted mainly of freeze-dried chili.
Mauna Loa was a prime site for the study because of its terrain and silence. When looking out the dome’s porthole windows, the scientists could only see lava fields and mountains.
