Astronauts Sent To Live In Space

Getting a man to Mars has become a goal for space agencies that might one day happen if their latest experiment pays off.

Two astronauts were sent to live aboard the International Space Station last month to determine the effects of staying in space year long for a future mission to Mars.

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko will be living in the space station until March of next year. Scientists will examine what happens to the men due to effects of living in space year round.
With this project already underway, people around campus were asked to give their thoughts on the mission. Professor Kimberly Rowland said that this experiment could be helpful whether it is a success or failure.

“If it’s a success, that means we already have the idea of how to do this,” said Rowland. “If it’s a failure though, that, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

Rowland said that if the experiment ever failed, then scientists would be able to learn from the mistakes made and find ways to improve those flaws. Science is a process where one will not always get

the answer he or she is looking for, but can find ways to better areas in need of improvement.

“It points out our limitations so that we can make it better,” said Rowland.

Aside from the science involved, a question that can be raised is if Kelly and Kornienko can handle this mission and prove that humans can survive a year in space. Arie Eskinazi, freshman, said it depended on their previous experience in space and if they were willing to go through with the mission.

“If they have the experience and they want to do that, I don’t see the problem,” said Eskinazi.

Another question that can be raised is even after the yearlong space mission is complete, can humanity find a way to reach Mars? Chris Batchelor, freshman, said it would still be possible for humans to visit the distant planet one day thanks to improvements in technology.

“I completely think…we’re going to travel to Mars,” said Batchelor. “We are improving our technology every single day.”

Despite these two questions, the Mars mission is still reliant on the results of Kelly and Kornienko’s mission and only time will tell if any significant information is gained from this experiment.