The mission

At the stroke of midnight on 30 September, 2022, their transport to take them to the mission venue took off. 9 years of their hard work would finally be paying off now for Jack, Jill, John and Sarah. After eight long years of training since the end of 2013, they were ready for their journey.

For the next few years they would be required to survive in a completely ‘controlled’ habitat. And the ‘control mechanisms’ included those for ensuring adequate oxygen levels, ensuring appropriate humidity levels to allow plants and vegetables to grow, ensuring appropriate levels of gravity in the surroundings, and so on. All 4 of them had been thoroughly trained not only in learning how each and every one of these controls worked, but had also undergone thorough training in repairing each and every one of them to the extent that they could take apart these control mechanisms part by part and put them back together again before anything untoward happened. It helped to be prepared.

Apart from these trainings, the quartet also had to undergo extensive trainings in the fields of applied medicine. They were taught to identify and treat symptoms of routine as well as serious medical issues to handle a range of issues from dentistry, muscle fitness and bone fractures. After all if one of them faced any medical issue, there were only the other three of them to help out. It helped to be prepared.

Apart from their regular physical fitness drill, they were also trained in various other disciplines such as psychology, yoga, meditation and a host of other similar disciplines sourced from all over the world. End of day, during their mission, they would only have the other three people to keep them company, and God forbid, if a situation ever arose when one of them thought differently from the other three, that would jeopardize the entire mission. And that simply would not be acceptable. It helped to be prepared.

At the stroke of midnight on 30 September, 2022, their transport to take them to the mission venue took off.

What was their mission? What were they preparing for? What was it that required them to learn diverse skills such as learning the hardware and software of control systems, psychology and medicine?

Jack, Jill, John and Sarah were the final four who were the winners of the reality show conducted by the MarsOne group. Their mission, to successfully colonize Mars and be the first humans to settle down there.

 

Image courtesy: Google images search for ‘mars mission’

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This post is a work of fiction and is inspired by the ongoing application process being conducted by the MarsOne group. Read more about this reality show at this article [Link to article].

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This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by Blogadda.

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This post was picked as one of the WOW picks of the week on August 19th, 2013.

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