NASA Is Taking Applications To Pay People To Isolate On Fake Mars

We’ve all dealing with a lot of isolation the past few months to help slow the spread of COVID-19. If you’re one of those people who finds isolation works for you, NASA just might have the perfect job for you. The space agency is looking for applicants to participate in a social isolation study aimed at developming methods and technologies for future missions to Mars and the Moon. From NASA:

As many around the world are staying at home in response to the global coronavirus pandemic, NASA is preparing for its next spaceflight simulation study and is seeking healthy participants to live together with a small crew in isolation for eight months in Moscow, Russia. The analog mission is the next in a series that will help NASA learn about the physiological and psychological effects of isolation and confinement on humans in preparation for Artemis exploration missions to the Moon and future long-duration missions to Mars.

Here’s what you need to know:

Specifics

Successful applicants will spent eight months in isolation with a small international crew at the Institute of Biomedical Problems at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia. The objective of this “analog mission” is to help NASA learn more about the physical and psychological impact that confinement and isolation has on humans. The research conducted during this time will include performing robotic operations as well as various tasks using virtual reality. The results will help NASA prepare for the real-life challenges of space exploration and provide important scientific data to “solve some of these problems and to develop countermeasures.” Participants will be paid for their time in isolation in Russia at different levels, depending upon whether or not they are already associated with NASA.

If spending eight months in isolation on a fake space mission, and you speak Russian, here are the other requirements to apply:

Requirements

U.S. citizenship
Between the ages of 30-55
Proficient in both Russian and English languages.
Have a M.S., PhD., M.D. or completion of military officer training. (Though participants with a Bachelor’s degree and other certain qualifications—e.g., relevant additional education, military, or professional experience—may be considered as well.)

I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut, and even though this isn’t an actual space mission just to say I “worked” for NASA would be a childhood dream come true for me! If I spoke Russian I would be ALL about this! Sadly, I don’t. But if you do, and you want to apply, head over to the NASA webstite.