Crew of simulated Mars mission 'returns' to Earth after one year

After spending an entire year living in the isolation of a simulated mission to Mars, the crew of the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog & Simulation (HI-SEAS) project finally emerged on Sunday, and they looked very relieved. 

Although high-profile space professionals like Elon Musk often talk about sending a manned mission to Mars, the reality is that such a mission would put the astronauts to the ultimate test of endurance on both a physical and psychological level.  

Matt Damon made it look like a relative rough day of camping in The Martian, but intense, extended simulations like HI-SEAS are, for now, one of the best ways to give us a real clue as to just how tough such a mission might really be.  Read more...