MOSCOW. May 31 (Interfax-AVN) - Sponsors of the 500-day scientific experiment, simulating an interplanetary expedition to Mars, do not plan to include females in the volunteer crew, Valery Polyakov, a consultant with the Institute for Medical and Biological Problems, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"No females will participate in the experiment. We do not want any additional psychological strain, which may derail the entire experiment. The main objective is to prove that humans are capable of staying sane and physically fit inside a closed space for a long time, namely for 500 days. We want to show that they can cope with problems in relations and compatibility," Polyakov said.
According to him, the experiment is based on experience of long space flights of Russian and foreign astronauts, including females.
The Mars-500 experiment, which is one of the steps towards future interplanetary expeditions, is expected to start at the Institute in summer 2007. It will involve six volunteers, who will stay inside a special scientific module for 500 days, with space medics monitoring the process.
According to Polyakov, candidates, who will undergo selection as early as 2006, will face special requirements.
"We will make sure that such volunteers do not have any deep-seated chronic diseases, which may derail the experiment," Polyakov said.
According to him, at the same time volunteers will face slack in other requirements, for instance, in eyesight.
"They do not have the acute eyesight, required of astronauts. Volunteers may even wear glasses or contact lenses during the experiment," Polyakov said.
The Institute was reported to have received several applications for participation in the Mars-500 experiment. The experiment will be conducted jointly with space agencies Canada, Japan, and China.
Cosmonaut Polyakov holds the record in the longest stay at the space orbit. In 1995 he completed his space flight at the Mir space station, which lasted 438 days.