| Communications and Recreation |  |
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| Astronauts on the
Space Shuttle are
equipped with e-mail in order to keep in regular contact with family and friends. Regular
video conferences with family members are also scheduled. On a mission to Mars, the
ever-increasing distance will prevent functioning real-time sessions after a
specified time. By the time crews are living on the surface of Mars, the transit time for
messages will increase to between 7 and 40 minutes (depending on the current distance
between Earth and Mars). While messages can be sent, immediate answers will not be
available. Crews will need to be self-sufficient in emergency conditions and patient
during normal operations. The importance of communication with family back on Earth cannot be underestimated. Think about the first time you went away from home to summer camp, or to stay with friends and relatives. How often did you phone or write home? How important to you were those letters and packages from home? The astronauts aboard the Mir space station were supplied with CD-roms prepared by family and friends that included many photographs, messages, music recordings, and games. They were supplied with books, games, and movies for entertainment. Click here to read Jerry Linenger’s letters to his son while aboard the Mir space station for 3 months.
Crews will also engage in activities that remind them of home, as the Skylab crew did by building a Christmas tree from spare parts as their mission continued through the holidays. |
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