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SIRIUS year-long simulated space flight experiment to kick off in in July-November 2023

The experiment’s crew will be international and involve both males and females

MOSCOW, June 30. /TASS/. The SIRIUS year-long isolation experiment simulating a manned flight to outer space will kick off in a period from July to November 2023, Oleg Orlov,a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS and director of the RAS Institute of Biomedical Problems, told TASS on Thursday.

"The year-long isolation experiment is part of the SIRIUS project. The experiment will begin in a period from July to November 2023. Talks are currently underway with our key partner, NASA HRP (Human Research Program) on a wide range of issues related to the program," he said.

According to Orlov, the experiment’s crew will be international and involve both males and females. However, in his words, it is too early to speak about the details. "It is necessary to receive the results of the SIRIUS-21 closing experiment first. And after that, tasks will be outlines in general," he noted.

"We plan that the year-long experiment will involve our colleagues from the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The project is open for all space agencies and organizations of the space industry, and for research, educations and commercial organizations that are interested in participation," Orlov said.

The 240-day SIRIUS-21 isolation experiment simulating a manned flight to Earth’s natural satellite is finishing in Moscow on July 3. It kicked off on the premises of the Institute of Biomedical Problems within the Russian Academy of Sciences on November 4, 2021. Originally, the crew was comprised of three Russians, two US nationals and a UAE representative. However, Ekaterina Karyakina of Russia had to withdraw from the experiment because of an arm injury.

The SIRIUS (Scientific International Research In Unique Terrestrial Station) international project is a series of joint isolation experiments carried out by Russia’s Institute of Biomedical Problems and the NASA Human Research Program with the participation of the Russian, German and Canadian space agencies and specialists from Russia, the United States, Germany, France, Italy and other countries.

The first experiment was held in November 2017 when the crew spent 17 days in isolation. The isolation experiments conducted in 2018-2019 lasted four months. Three year-long isolation experiments are planned before 2028.

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