NASA Astronauts Simulate Mars Mission's Ground Control, Communication Delays, DNA Sequencing, Telemedicine Via 16-Day Underwater Training
ByMars mission trainings were done by astronauts at the bottom of Aquarius Reef Base in Florida. The executions were started on July 21 by six astronauts in the underwater research station. The tests to be performed underwater will mimic delay in communications between astronauts and ground control as if they were actually on a Mars mission.
The Mars mission tests will have the astronauts, in this scenario aquanauts, use experimental headsets known as the mobiPV. The device being experimented on may come in handy with astronauts on an actual Mars mission.
The mobiPV streams videos from a Mars mission back to Earth base. It will allow the astronauts on a Mars mission to talk hands free. The closest that can mimic communication during a Mars mission is in the Aquarius station.
The Mars mission training was performed in a research station that is 19 meters below the coast of Florida. The Mars mission astronaut series of tests will be a 16-day mission, Tecake reported.
The underwater Mars mission simulation was not started immediately due to harsh rainfall. However, during the Day 1 of the 16-day mission, they started experimenting on a DNA sequencing device automatically. NASA hopes that this DNA sequencing may be used on the International Space Station in the future, News 18 reported.
The Mars mission 16-day training for astronauts is part of the 21st NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations or NEEMO. It aims to check existing gadget conditions and astronaut skills for future mars mission trips.
NEEMO Project Leader Bill Todd said that equipment can fail and communication tools and skills may be challenging during a real Mars Mission. He added that the underwater training will prove beneficial as it will teach the team on how to manage the difficulties together. Todd continued by saying that when they are on a real Martian surface, they will be fully prepared for everything that the Red Planet may bring forth.
Mars mission tests are primarily conducted to prepare the astronauts for an actual Mars mission. However, the NEEMO 21 can be applied for other space trips and not just for Mars Mission. Other experiments during the underwater Mars mission tests involved telemedicine for astronauts on a real Mars mission.
