China's 200-day isolation experiment for space station simulation

Four students, two bunkers, 200 days, and no contact with the outside world: That’s Lunar Palace 365, a 200-day isolation experiment in a simulated space station. Early this month, the students in Beijing started the experiment that is part of a preparatory space exploration project.

In a suburb of Beijing, a self-sustaining ecosystem with minimal resources has been created for four students and aspiring astronauts of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Living in an enclosed space creates several physical and mental challenges. For sustenance, the students will have to rely on oxygen that will be generated from plants and drinking water that will be recycled from urine. The idea was to replicate only those resources that will be available on the moon or Mars.

If this doesn’t sound challenging enough, the students will also have to face psychological effects of being cut off from the outside world. There also have been concerns of depression being induced by going without sunlight and long periods of near-confinement. A set of daily tasks have been scheduled for the students to keep them motivated and happy. 

The experiment will help China ready itself and understand the complexities involved with living in such environments for extended periods. With a definite goal of 2018 being the year when it sends the first probe to the dark side of the moon, China is determined to become a force to reckon with in space exploration. This experiment should help them catch up with the space programs of the rest of the world.