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NASA is getting ready to ship people to Mars. Though the launch date has been pushed again over time, the company says it needs to get there within the 2030s. And it has so much on its to-do checklist. NASA must construct new rockets, new liveable residing areas, new spacesuits, and new radiation shielding, simply to call a couple of objects.
However what if the one of many largest challenges of those missions will not be the engineering, however the psychological well being of the astronauts? Can the entire crew members get together with one another and keep alive over the course of three years in tight quarters and unforgiving environments? How will they address being separated from their households and mates for thus lengthy? And what classes can they study from astronauts who’ve lived on the Worldwide Area Station—and from our collective expertise of isolation throughout the pandemic?
A brand new documentary, out March 8, explores all these questions and extra. It’s referred to as “The Longest Goodbye,” and it dives into NASA’s Human Elements program, which features a group of psychologists who’re making an attempt to determine one of the simplest ways to protect astronauts’ psychological well being on a protracted and demanding mission.
Host D. Peterschmidt spoke to the movie’s director, Ido Mizrahy, and one among its featured astronauts, Dr. Cady Coleman, about how NASA is considering tackling loneliness in area and what we are able to study from astronauts who’ve already lived on the area station.
Plus, a listener shares his expertise about performing a drumroll for the photo voltaic eclipse.
Universe of Artwork is hosted and produced by D. Peterschmidt, who additionally wrote the music. Our present artwork was illustrated by Abelle Hayford. Help for Science Friday’s science and humanities protection comes from the Alfred P. Sloan Basis.
Do you’ve gotten science-inspired artwork you’d wish to share with us for a future episode? Ship us an electronic mail or a voice memo to universe@sciencefriday.com.
Meet the Author
D. Peterschmidt
About D. Peterschmidt
D. Peterschmidt is a producer, host of the podcast Universe of Artwork, and composes music for Science Friday’s podcasts. Their D&D character is a careless bard named Chip Chap Chopman.
