Author Topic: Staff wanted. 5 year contract. No break clause. Who'll apply?  (Read 7410 times)

Offline MickQ

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Now that we see there are lots of volunteers, who would you choose to go to Phobos for 5 years. Lets say in the early days the base is being expanded from 20 to 100 crew.

I assume unlike Captain Cook, you can't have an all male crew. And also, you want to come back with most alive, and you can't keel them.

- Would you pick a good ratio of male to female? (OK 1:4 :) is good for me, but seriously somewhere close to 1:1).
- Would you favour an age range (say 35 - 45, people with experience, who are unlikely to die on the job)
- Would you do anything to enforce a ban on conception / births?
- Relationships will form and break up: How do you manage that?
- Would you take family people? Or how about married couples?

Any other ways of getting a well balanced crew for 5 years?




When I was in the Air Force they tried to NOT have husband and wife working together in case one had to give orders to the other.  I think you would have to enforce contraception for the first few crews at least.

Mick.

Offline hop

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- Would you favour an age range (say 35 - 45, people with experience, who are unlikely to die on the job)
The realities of radiation exposure suggest using crews as old as practical. The later in life you get the dose, the less your lifetime probability of dying of cancer goes up. Many astronauts in their 50s have flown long duration missions (including record holder Valeri  Polyakov.) Early 60s is probably a reasonable upper limit.

Regarding pregnancy, you almost certainly want to avoid it (radiation damage logic above applies to the kids, and reduced gravity is an unknown) You probably also want to avoid crews who want to have kids after they finish the mission.
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Any other ways of getting a well balanced crew for 5 years?
The same way space agencies currently do: By having them work closely together in stressful situations for years in advance.
When I was in the Air Force they tried to NOT have husband and wife working together in case one had to give orders to the other.
A bit of a different situation, since you aren't completely isolated with your fellow airmen (and women) for years on end.

Offline alexterrell

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So based on that, we want people who have either raised their young, or have given up on having young. I think husband / wife teams in their 40s/50s, if both suitably qualified would be fine.

That said, once you get to your 40s you expect luxuries in life like leather seating in your cars, no bedroom sharing (except with partner), your en-suite shower, freshly brewed coffee etc etc.

Not sure if I'd want to give those up for 5 years - though maybe with a descent salary of which 90% (after tax*) goes straight into savings.

*I assume astronauts can't change domicile for tax purposes. "Please pay my salary Gross into the following Swiss Bank Account"

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