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| Life on Mars, in Hawaii: scooping feces, close quarters and one shower a month | Life on Mars, in Hawaii: scooping feces, close quarters and one shower a month |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Christiane Heinicke showered about once a month. That’s 12 showers over the course of a whole year, while living with five others in a 36ft-wide dome in Hawaii to simulate life on Mars. | Christiane Heinicke showered about once a month. That’s 12 showers over the course of a whole year, while living with five others in a 36ft-wide dome in Hawaii to simulate life on Mars. |
| “We took the water conservation very seriously and used paper towels with Febreze if we were really rank,” said fellow crew member Tristan Bassingthwaighte. “But it’s one of those things where if you’re in a really smelly place, after the first week you don’t notice anything any more because there’s no new stimulus, much in the same way that you can’t see your nose unless you think about it, even though it’s right there.” | “We took the water conservation very seriously and used paper towels with Febreze if we were really rank,” said fellow crew member Tristan Bassingthwaighte. “But it’s one of those things where if you’re in a really smelly place, after the first week you don’t notice anything any more because there’s no new stimulus, much in the same way that you can’t see your nose unless you think about it, even though it’s right there.” |
| In between showers, Heinicke washed with a bucket of water. “It was actually quite effective,” she said this week, just a few days after the team left the dome. “I never felt dirty or greasy and certainly nobody ever complained about me smelling.” | In between showers, Heinicke washed with a bucket of water. “It was actually quite effective,” she said this week, just a few days after the team left the dome. “I never felt dirty or greasy and certainly nobody ever complained about me smelling.” |
| For 12 months, they lived together inside a white dome planted on the side of the mountain Mauna Loa. The experiment studied the feasibility of life on Mars, and was the longest Hawaii Space Exploration Analogue and Simulation (HI-Seas) experiment to date. | For 12 months, they lived together inside a white dome planted on the side of the mountain Mauna Loa. The experiment studied the feasibility of life on Mars, and was the longest Hawaii Space Exploration Analogue and Simulation (HI-Seas) experiment to date. |
| During this Nasa-funded project, the crew’s communication with the outside world was limited, and they experienced a 20-minute one-way delay, similar to the limitations one would experience on Mars. The restrictions made it difficult to maintain ties with the outside world, and several crew members said they felt forgotten after the first few months. | During this Nasa-funded project, the crew’s communication with the outside world was limited, and they experienced a 20-minute one-way delay, similar to the limitations one would experience on Mars. The restrictions made it difficult to maintain ties with the outside world, and several crew members said they felt forgotten after the first few months. |
| But the isolation and smells were the least of their worries. | But the isolation and smells were the least of their worries. |
| “The confinement was far worse,” Bassingthwaighte said. “Isolation is a reprieve.” The constant thumping of duct-taped shoes against a treadmill served as a constant reminder that in such a small space, he was never truly alone. | “The confinement was far worse,” Bassingthwaighte said. “Isolation is a reprieve.” The constant thumping of duct-taped shoes against a treadmill served as a constant reminder that in such a small space, he was never truly alone. |
| “The walls are thin, the floor is loud, and you can hear nearly everything,” crew commander Carmel Johnston noted in one blogpost. “No matter how quiet somebody tries to be, it sounds like elephants taking dance lessons.” | “The walls are thin, the floor is loud, and you can hear nearly everything,” crew commander Carmel Johnston noted in one blogpost. “No matter how quiet somebody tries to be, it sounds like elephants taking dance lessons.” |
| As an architecture PhD candidate, Bassingthwaighte noted that some features, like the living room’s tall, church-like ceiling, helped the crew cope by creating the illusion of space. But other features, including the room placement and thin walls, proved to exacerbate an already challenging situation. | As an architecture PhD candidate, Bassingthwaighte noted that some features, like the living room’s tall, church-like ceiling, helped the crew cope by creating the illusion of space. But other features, including the room placement and thin walls, proved to exacerbate an already challenging situation. |
| “Overall, the design was very mission-centric, not people-centric,” he observed. | “Overall, the design was very mission-centric, not people-centric,” he observed. |
| Bassingthwaighte often wore headphones to drown out the sounds. But even then, he found himself waiting for the inevitable knock on his door – another crew member with a question or anecdote. The constant knowledge that interruption could be moments away kept him on high social alert. | Bassingthwaighte often wore headphones to drown out the sounds. But even then, he found himself waiting for the inevitable knock on his door – another crew member with a question or anecdote. The constant knowledge that interruption could be moments away kept him on high social alert. |
| The crew’s only escape was through simulated Extravehicular Activities (EVAs). During these mock Mars excursions, crew members donned spacesuits and traversed the surface of the surrounding lava fields, studying various rocks and exploring lava tubes. | The crew’s only escape was through simulated Extravehicular Activities (EVAs). During these mock Mars excursions, crew members donned spacesuits and traversed the surface of the surrounding lava fields, studying various rocks and exploring lava tubes. |
| For German crew physicist Heinicke, these missions saved her sanity. “They were very important to me. First from a physical perspective, just being able to walk in a straight line. But also emotionally, to be in a different place, and to get away from others.” | For German crew physicist Heinicke, these missions saved her sanity. “They were very important to me. First from a physical perspective, just being able to walk in a straight line. But also emotionally, to be in a different place, and to get away from others.” |
| According to the HI-Seas website, group cohesion and composition was a primary focus of the study, with the ultimate goal of identifying which traits compose a highly effective team. While scientists continue to analyze the data, crew members have formulated their own opinions based on the experience. | According to the HI-Seas website, group cohesion and composition was a primary focus of the study, with the ultimate goal of identifying which traits compose a highly effective team. While scientists continue to analyze the data, crew members have formulated their own opinions based on the experience. |
| Bassingthwaighte said that “for a successful group, you need a balanced mix of extroversion and introversion. You need to be extroverted in a sense, because if you’re not, you’re going to end up excluding yourself from group activities and relationships that over a long duration are going to become necessary. | Bassingthwaighte said that “for a successful group, you need a balanced mix of extroversion and introversion. You need to be extroverted in a sense, because if you’re not, you’re going to end up excluding yourself from group activities and relationships that over a long duration are going to become necessary. |
| “But,” he said, “if you’re an extrovert all the time, then everybody around you is going to want to stuff a sock in your mouth.” | “But,” he said, “if you’re an extrovert all the time, then everybody around you is going to want to stuff a sock in your mouth.” |
| Heinicke said that adaptability was crucial: “You have to be open to new experiences, because nothing can prepare you for life in the dome.” | Heinicke said that adaptability was crucial: “You have to be open to new experiences, because nothing can prepare you for life in the dome.” |
| Like composting toilets that were always over capacity. | Like composting toilets that were always over capacity. |
| Once a week, a crew member took a turn donning a paper apron and gloves and digging 20lb of accumulated excrement out of the toilet. The reward for scooping the poop: an extra long shower – three minutes. | Once a week, a crew member took a turn donning a paper apron and gloves and digging 20lb of accumulated excrement out of the toilet. The reward for scooping the poop: an extra long shower – three minutes. |
| (On average, showers for most crew members were one minute and 45 seconds, once per week.) | (On average, showers for most crew members were one minute and 45 seconds, once per week.) |
| These weekly routines became one of the only ways for crew members to maintain any sense of time. In a blogpost, crew astrobiologist Cyprien Verseux coined the term “hazy time” to describe an inability to differentiate between the seemingly identical days that strung together. | These weekly routines became one of the only ways for crew members to maintain any sense of time. In a blogpost, crew astrobiologist Cyprien Verseux coined the term “hazy time” to describe an inability to differentiate between the seemingly identical days that strung together. |
| “It’s all kind of a big crazy blur right now,” said Bassingthwaighte. “I haven’t had a moment to myself in 370 days now, and what I need more than anything is two days to sit down and just be left alone by the universe so I can start to organize my brain.” | “It’s all kind of a big crazy blur right now,” said Bassingthwaighte. “I haven’t had a moment to myself in 370 days now, and what I need more than anything is two days to sit down and just be left alone by the universe so I can start to organize my brain.” |
| Back on “Earth”, the crew are already beginning to formulate plans to use their experience to further their work within their respective fields. Heinicke plans to submit a research proposal on space habitats, and is a potential candidate to be the first female German astronaut. | |
| As for Bassingthwaighte, he will return to finish his PhD in architecture and hopes to use his experience in the dome to help design the future Mars Colonial transporter. | As for Bassingthwaighte, he will return to finish his PhD in architecture and hopes to use his experience in the dome to help design the future Mars Colonial transporter. |