The European Space Agency will begin selecting participants for an imitation of the manned flight to Mars, the so-called the Mars-500 experiment, which will take place at the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems at Russian Academy of Science.

"ESA will soon make an official announcement on the beginning of the selection of candidates for the Mars-500 experiment," a source in the institute told Interfax.

According to the contract signed between ESA and the institute this April, two out of six participants in the experiment will be citizens of European states. ESA experts will select candidates at the first stage, then a joint Russian-EU commission will choose the most appropriate ones, the source said.

The institute continues to receive applications from volunteers from Russia and other states. "As of today, we have received more than 150 applications," he said.

Medical selection of candidates should begin at the institute in several months. Examination is expected to end in November. The Mars-500 experiment is scheduled for late 2007 - early 2008.

A pilot experiment involving employees of the institute will take place this fall. They will live in a special airproof space station module for several days in order to check the accuracy of technical equipment. "Should any equipment break down after the launch of the experiment, participants will have to repair it themselves. That is why equipment will be checked several times before the Mars-500 experiment is launched," the source said.

Six volunteers will have to stay within a space station module for over 520 days, time required to fly to and from Mars.

Interfax-AVN, June 3, 2007
http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/0/28.html?id_issue=11760477