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Isolation periods could be introduced as prepping program for cosmonauts

Evgeny Tarelkin, crew commander for the SIRIUS isolation experiment, noted that long-term isolation could upset the cosmonauts’ preparation routine, as the crew follows a very strict schedule

MOSCOW February 19. /TASS/. Multi-week long isolation periods could become part of a program to prep astronauts, said Evgeny Tarelkin, crew commander for the SIRIUS isolation experiment, in an interview with TASS on Tuesday.

"That would be some good experience. It could be introduced as one of the preparation steps. I believe it will be introduced in the future… but not for such a long time, a few weeks of isolation is enough," he replied.

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Experiment SIRIUS to help create simulators for future lunar missions

The astronaut noted that long-term isolation could upset the cosmonauts’ preparation routine, as the crew follows a very strict schedule of studies and preparation.

Evgeny Tarelkin will become the crew commander for the SIRIUS (Scientific International Research in Unique Terrestrial Station) isolation experiment, which will simulate a mission to the Moon. The practice ‘flight’ to the satellite followed by orbiting the Moon to find an appropriate landing spot, with four crew members ‘landing on the Moon’ to perform operations on its terrain, an ‘orbital sojourn’ and remote control of a moon rover to prepare a base, and return to Earth.

The four-month long experiment is scheduled to begin on March 19.

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