Six volunteers have embarked on a 100-day isolation mission to study human endurance in long-term space travel. This ambitious experiment, called ‘SOLIS100’, is being conducted at the German Aerospace Centre’s Advanced Research Facility in Cologne under the leadership of the European Space Agency.
Volunteers are placed in a closed residential complex called ‘Envihab’, where they will experience conditions similar to those of low Earth orbit missions, such as isolation, autonomy and mental stress. In the next three months they will have to follow a strict routine like lunar and Mars missions.
According to ESA’s Principal Investigation Scientist Angelique van Ombergen, the study aims to understand the effects of prolonged isolation on human psychology, cognitive ability and physical health. The main goal of researchers is to identify early signs of stress, fatigue and decreased performance. Various tests related to sleep patterns, stress levels, team behavior and cognitive performance will be conducted on volunteers in the age group of 26 to 32 years. Besides, the physical changes and changes in microbiome caused by living in limited environment will also be studied.
Compared to other microgravity-based simulations, this experiment specifically focuses on mental and behavioral challenges. The tensions arising from limited communication, delayed contact and increased autonomy will be analyzed in depth. According to ESA, the findings from such experiments will play an important role in determining crew selection, training and onboard support systems for future lunar and Mars missions. Apart from this, it will also help in developing new strategies to maintain the mental health, team coordination and efficiency of astronauts.
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