
NASA is preparing Mars explorers for its first mission on that planet.
NASA has the ambitious plan of sending crews to Mars. Even though it could sound like a science-fiction movie, it is possible to see Mars explorers in 10 years from now. Of course, a mission like this implies not only a lot of money, tests, and scientists involved but also people who will have the chance to visit the planet for the first time.
Charles Boden, NASA administrator, said that the space agency was looking for talented men and women, no matter their background, who want to get there. As we expected, more than 18 000 people answered the call, hoping they will have the chance of changing the history. From those applications, there will be only 120 finalists. Only 12 of them will be chosen as Mars explorers.
There are some requirements if you want to travel in the outer space. Not only you should have good health, but also you should be prepared for months of isolation. They will not be able to see the Earth, which could be a difficult thing for some of them. So before wanting to be part of the journey, you should really take into consideration your abilities and patience.
Even though NASA had not revealed how they are choosing their astronauts, there is no secret what they want to see in a future astronaut. We are talking about team orientation, the ability to work for a long time in a small space or emotional stability. Those who will be chosen as finalists will be brought to Johnson Space Center. There will be a lot of assessments and tests that they will have to pass before NASA officials will decide who is able to go to Mars.
The space agency already experimented with how people will manage to survive on Mars by simulating life on that planet. There were six scientists who lived in a simulated Mars habitat, in Hawaii, for a year. They had to live as they were really on the Red Planet. The only difference is that sometimes they would have access to the Internet.
A Mars mission will test human’s limits. NASA is expecting things to be difficult, but the goal they want to achieve is more important. They want to explore Mars and find out if people can survive there. If they will manage to do the journey, our history could be changed forever.
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