job seekers need for 2 year mission

[renovation]

PARIS (Reuters) - The European Space Agency is looking for volunteers to make a pretend trip to Mars.

The job will last almost two years, the living conditions will be cramped and the food all pre-packed -- just like on the spacecraft that might one day make the epic voyage to our remote red neighbor.

"To go to Mars is still a dream and one of the last gigantic challenges. But one day, some of us will be on precisely that journey to the Red Planet," ESA said in a statement.

"The crew will experience extreme isolation and confinement. They will lose sight of planet Earth. A radio contact will take 40 minutes to travel to us and then back to the space explorers," it added.

To understand how humans might cope in such extreme conditions, ESA and the Russian Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP) have decided to send a joint crew of six on a 520-day simulated mission to Mars.

"The simulation follows the mission profile of a real Mars mission, including an exploration phase on the surface of Mars," ESA said.

The project will kick off with one or two shorter, 105-day studies in 2008, followed by the full 520-day study late next year or early in 2009. In all, 12 volunteers are needed to complete the various test projects.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070620/...olunteers_dc_2

this sure is not for me - but maybe a member of GOTAPEX might just make the test misson team. !

[utcpal]

Basically a mini jail.. but with pay

[Hiro]

Keyword: Volunteer.

You sure they get paid?

[ShawnLee]

Hahaha! Never! I'd go crazy. Not for the two-year term, not for the 40 min. lag between conversations. But to spend that much time with Europeans? Ugh.

[Napoleon54]

What do they expect you to DO for all that time, aside from try NOT TO GO CRAZY? Sit in a tin can and read books? Will the tin can have broadband access? I would sneak a two year supply of baked beans on board.

Hmm... how much are they paying?

[cheapie]

not much. i think i read $160ish/day.

[renovation]

just think when the missions done you have .
$160.00 x 7 days = $1120.00 x 52 weeks = $58,240.00 x 2 years . for a grand total of $116,480.00 before any deductions .and a hell of a craving for a home cooked meal .

[Markel]

I guess that 40 minute communication lag would put the kibosh on the idea of online gaming to kill the boredom.

[Paymaster]

Here is where you can sign up! http://www.spaceflight.esa.int/callforcandidates

[cadetevon]

just think when the missions done you have .
$160.00 x 7 days = $1120.00 x 52 weeks = $58,240.00 x 2 years . for a grand total of $116,480.00 before any deductions .and a hell of a craving for a home cooked meal .

Plus the money that you'd not be making or spending for those two years.

Live "free" for two years then at the end get paid for it.

[The Happy Squirrel]

the 40 min lag in conversation is nothing new
i have "listening" problems as well as hearing problems
so often when sufking on apex the G|F will say something to me and 40 min later ill say HUH??

[Pemolis]

Lets see...

If its 4 women.. and 1 guy... I wonder what they'll do to pass the time....

[Napoleon54]

Lets see...

If its 4 women.. and 1 guy... I wonder what they'll do to pass the time....

And I think we've previously agreed that those crazy diaper-wearing astronaut chicks are probably pretty good in the sack.

[The Happy Squirrel]

hmmm.... zero-G nookie....might be fu=n.... of course ever time you bump you go flying across the room and someone htis thier head. kinda a twisted version of S&M