NASA Wants to Pay You for Isolation on Fake Mars for 8 Months
If, more than two months after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, you thought to yourself, “Hmmm, life in isolation seems to work for me,” NASA may have a job for you. The space agency is looking for social isolation research candidates to develop methods and technologies for future space missions to Mars and the Moon. Here’s what you need to know about a job for which we are all suddenly much more qualified than we were a few months ago.
Specificity
Successful candidates will spend eight months in isolation with a small international team in Moscow, Russia. The purpose of this “analogue mission” is to help NASA learn more about the physical and psychological effects of confinement and isolation on humans. Research conducted during this time will include performing robotic operations as well as performing various tasks using virtual reality.
The idea is to use this information to prepare for Artemis’ exploration missions to the Moon, as well as future missions to Mars that will last for an extended period of time. For the time spent in isolation in Russia, participants will be paid at different levels, depending on whether they are already associated with NASA or not.
How to apply
Candidates are not only willing to spend eight months on a fake mission, but they must meet the following requirements :
- US Citizenship
- Between the ages of 30 and 55
- Fluent in Russian and English.
- Have a master’s degree, Ph.D., M.D., or military training. (Although participants with a bachelor’s degree and other specific qualifications, such as relevant additional education, military or professional experience, may also be considered.)
For more information and to apply for a job, visit the NASA website .
What astronauts can tell us about isolation
The goal of this NASA study is to find out how people deal with life in isolation. A few weeks ago, we took a similar (albeit reverse) approach at Lifehacker , when writer Rachel Fairbank interviewed former astronaut D. Marshall Porterfield to learn how people not accustomed to isolation can cope with this pandemic. His advice included setting a daily routine, staying active, keeping in touch with friends and family, and achieving a goal. Perhaps your goal will be to prepare for a mission to Mars. Fake Mars.