According to Ukrinform, this situation was reported by Voice of America.

As noted, the station conducts geological and social research that simulates the possible life of astronauts on the surface of Mars.

“We host different groups from all over the world experimenting or testing equipment. And this Mars station is classified as a geological analogue because the geology of the surrounding desert is as close as possible to the geology of Mars,” Yakimov said.

The rotation of research groups lasts more than two weeks, where participants live in special modules, eat vegetables and fruits from the “Martian” greenhouse, and go out only in spacesuits.

According to Yakymov, who participated in several such expeditions, it is very difficult to cope with boredom alone. There have been many studies on human interaction in such conditions over the last 20 years.

“The results of the latest research conducted by a group from Europe revealed that the best crew to fly to Mars should consist entirely of women,” the Ukrainian said. said.

According to research conducted since the middle of the last century, women consume less resources such as air, water and food, which are scarce in space, compared to men.

Yakimov, who graduated from the Kiev Polytechnic Institute with a specialization in aircraft control systems, dreams of becoming an astronaut and going to Mars. Eight years ago, he was selected from hundreds of applicants for a future flight to the Red Planet, but the Dutch company Mars One, which organized the mission, went bankrupt. However, the Ukrainian player did not give up on his dream.

The Mars desert research station was created by the public organization “The Martian Society”, funded by various donors, including billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

According to Yakimov, it is unlikely that humans will fly to Mars, but research on the Mars station could also be useful on Earth. In particular, plant breeding research to be carried out at the station will help make food more accessible in many resource-poor regions of the world.

As reported, on June 26, four NASA astronauts headed to a “Mars base” on Earth for a year.

Photo: From Serhiy Yakymov archive