Not so long ago the experiment was started. In the framework of flight simulation to the moon was created “spaceship” SIRIUS (International Scientific Research in Unique Terrestrial Station). This international project has been held in Moscow, and in the course of this event simulate the conditions of a long interplanetary flight. This year began the first phase of the experiment duration of 17 days. And “astronauts” already “reached” the lunar orbit and carried out the first virtual laps around the “Earth satellite”.
The composition of this unusual crew included three men and three women: a member of the cosmonaut Anna Kikina, an employee of RSC “Energia” mark Serov, representative of Airbus Defence and Space’s Victor fetter, as well as employees of the Institute of biomedical problems (IBMP) Elena Luchitskaya, Natalia Lysova and Ilya Rukavishnikov. As stated by one of the members of the program
“In the framework of the “detour” the crew learns to control the virtual Rover. In addition, in the near future will begin the experiment by order of NASA, during which through a virtual “window” stations you guys are watching the surface of the moon and choose the best point for “landing”. This experiment will continue for three days. The crew has the technical ability to bring the surface of the “Earth satellite”, simulating a scrutiny of the details of the terrain using the telephoto photographic equipment. The same task will be set in a real orbit around the moon on a space ship, so now she thoroughly worked through on the ground hardware and computer methods”.
It should be noted that SIRIUS is not one of a kind experiment. Upon its completion it is planned to conduct several more experiments: in the year 2018 — “flight” duration of 14-21 days and 4 months. In 2019, 8 months, and in 2020-2021 years — annual experiments.
Based on materials of RIA “news”
The ground crew of the “spacecraft” SIRIUS “flew” to the moon orbit
Vladimir Kuznetsov