Participants in a simulated flight to the Moon spoke about their feelings after 100 days of the experiment

To begin with, information about the stop on board, or more precisely at the experimental complex of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences on Khoroshevskoye Highway. According to the IBMP Ground Control Center, the crew members are feeling well, all systems of the medical and technical experimental complex are operating normally. The temperature inside the simulation modules is maintained in the range of 21-23 degrees, humidity does not exceed 60%, oxygen concentration is 21%, carbon dioxide content in the air is no more than 0.3%.

Help “MK”. The team that went through a special selection system included a production automation specialist, an employee of the Cosmonaut Training Center. Yu.A. Gagarin Yuri Chebotarev (crew commander), Khabarovsk Airlines pilot Anzhelika Parfenova, allergist Ksenia Orlova (she is also a representative of the “space” state of Asgardia), junior researcher at the Institute of Physical-Organic Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Olga Mastitskaya (she became the first representative of Belarus in similar experiments), Aeroflot flight attendant, psychologist, journalist, junior researcher at IBMP Ksenia Shishenina and doctor from IBMP Rustam Zaripov.

The experiment, according to the IBMP, is carried out according to the rules of a real flight: contacting the Earth strictly on schedule with a five-minute signal delay, constant physical training and sanitary and hygienic measures, implementation of scientific and operational-technical research programs, daily medical and psychological monitoring.

As MK previously reported, on flight days 62–64 the crew carried out the first of the planned landings on the lunar surface. This is necessary for practicing extravehicular activities.

On the 93rd flight day, an emergency situation planned by the experiment’s leaders was introduced into the program: the expected transport ship did not enter orbit for “technical” reasons. While waiting for him, the team conducted a study on forced sleep deprivation – they worked in a 24-hour mode without breaks for sleep in order to audit food, hygiene products and other consumables.

Sleep deprivation research is part of a program to study the psychological and psychophysical state of a person, as well as mental and physical performance under stress.

We asked the members of the “lunar” crew to answer the following questions:

1. During these 100 days, what surprised you most while being in the “lunar ship”?

2. What did you not expect from yourself and others in such conditions?

3. What news “from Earth” pleased you and disappointed you the most during this time?

4. Tell us, if possible, how you would improve the “interplanetary ship”, what would you add to it for a more comfortable flight?

5. If quarrels arose between you, on what grounds and how did you resolve the conflict situation?

Sirius-23 crew commander Yuri Chebotarev:

1. Since the start of our isolation mission, many events have occurred.

What was important was the initially well-coordinated work of the crew, which did not require special separate explanations, analysis of errors or the development of technology for relationships within the crew. The team initially showed mutual understanding and mutual assistance.<...> The work related to extravehicular activities (EVAs) was surprising. This is a very interesting type of work, because modern technical devices were used – virtual reality helmets, a unique system for weighing the tester to simulate lunar gravity with a special platform, a software and hardware complex that allows you to control the lunar rover to perform one of the VVA tasks.

2.Indeed, the ease of giving up the use of a cell phone and the active inclusion in a busy work schedule according to the cyclogram immediately after closing the entrance hatch was surprising. Despite the fact that you do not feel excluded from participating in other areas of activity, since, even through an email message, a dialogue with relatives and friends is maintained.

3. We are pleased with the news of victory in the episodes of fulfilling the tasks of the Northern Military District, and the news about the development of industries in the Russian Federation that we receive from the IBMP press service. We are regularly provided with video recordings of news releases from the first channel of the Russian Federation, ONT. Our news” of the Belarusian channel, as well as media content of an entertaining and popular science nature, for which we are very grateful to our colleagues. It is pleasant that the implementation of the annual scientific program of the Sirius-23 isolation experiment coincided with the anniversary celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences; on this day, we once again emphasized the importance of the Project for obtaining new knowledge in the interests of implementing manned space programs.

4. In the process of working at NEC and organizing leisure time, of course, ideas came up about upgrading the modules to bring the conditions closer to the conditions of a real flight in the lunar orbital complex. One of the obvious and technically uncomplicated additions is the installation of porthole monitors in the interior of the public modules, displaying an image of the situation “overboard”. Also, additional monitors could be integrated into sports simulators (treadmills, bicycle ergometer) for additional work of the crew. Several ideas can be implemented on them – this may be of interest to a psychological support group, in the case of displaying on the monitors both video recordings of calming content (films, video clips, a film simulating running or cycling at a similar speed through picturesque places on Earth), and for self-training of testers – when using training videos, videos with psychological tests.

5. Of course, conflict situations arose among the crew in some episodes of communication. I consider this a way, although not the best, of learning each other’s personal boundaries, but also a factor in the development of a team. Ways out of conflicts were found intuitively. At some moments, through a long conversation and finding a solution that is optimal for everyone, at others, it involves clarifying the positions of arguing people. Often the conflict ends when the true points of view of each crew member, not obvious behind the emotional veil, become clear. There were tense situations when the conflict ended with the decision of the crew commander, and went away a little later, after the emotional tension was relieved. Of course, the principles of respect for each other, acceptance and the desire to understand the other person’s point of view help.

Ksenia Orlova

1. There are many nuances that surprise. One of them is the feeling that you are not on the territory of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems or in Moscow in general, but somewhere very far from civilization.

2. I watch with interest how the personalities of the crew, both others and my own, are revealed. For example, she suddenly began to show attention to our insulating plants, especially ornamental ones.

3. It depends on what news we are talking about. If it concerns me personally, I was pleased with the news about the progress of scientific work. I didn’t feel any disappointments.

4. Once the crew discussed that it would be great to have a “living corner.” Perhaps isolated from us, for example, behind glass. But so that through the glass you can observe some animals.

5. In any team, as in a social structure, conflicts can arise. Our crew is no exception. I have developed a strategy for myself to avoid provoking factors as much as possible. One hundred days of living in the same “ship” is enough time to study each other’s character traits and reactions. With due attention, you try not to “step” once again on everyone’s “trigger points”, so as not to incite conflict.