Representatives from 28 countries apply to join Russian Mars-500 exp

Moscow, July 11 (UNI) People from 28 countries have applied to participate in an experiment intended to simulate a flight to Mars, which will take place at the Moscow-based Institute of Medical and Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

"Two hundred of the applications received meet the requirements,as announced by the Institute. Nineteen of them are from women," a spokesman for the Institute told Interfax news agency today.

He said 70 applications came from Russia, eight from Ukraine, five from Belarus, seven from the United States, three from the United Kingdom, three from Iran, and all the rest were from Armenia, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Colombia, Latvia, Mexico, Estonia among other countries.

The successful candidates will spend 520 days inside an experimental module set up on the Institute's premises, including 250 days "en route" to Mars, 30 days on the Red Planet's surface and 240 days on a journey "back to Earth." They will experience the daily routine of professional astronauts, including medicals, workouts and maintenance of station equipment, and will have to cope with simulated emergency situations, arising both from human error and equipment failure.

The European Space Agency has also expressed an interest in contributing to the project, including research and financial support.

Russia also plans to launch a Mars probe in the next decade.

Martian soil samples it will bring back will give scientists a better idea of the Red Planet's chemical composition.

UNI