A manned spaceflight to Mars will take preparation and experimentation as no man has yet traveled so far from Earth. Russia is taking a lead stand on experimentation for the mission with mock missions here on Earth.
Introduction
Science advances worldwide every year in efforts to reach out beyond our own beautiful rock into the vast harsh reaches of the solar system and beyond. Unmanned probes have already left the solar system, but as far as manned spacecraft, we (the human race) have only gotten as far as the moon.
Long has NASA been looking at the feasibility of a manned mission to our sister planet, Mars, but due to funding and lack of interest, very little manned research has been done. There have been strides made in Russia, however. Russia had been planning a mock 500 day manned Mars mission since 1999 when the first attempt ended in scandal with a blood-spattering fistfight and female Canadian volunteer allegedly forcibly kissed by the Captain. In 2004, Russia announced the second attempt.
The 500 day mission was first planned to include 6 volunteers locked in a spacecraft size canister with 5 tons of food and oxygen and 3 tons of water. This year-and-a-half study would determine the effects of isolation and supply use.
The Capsule
After several delays and not being able to find a compatible crew, the experiment was finally green-lighted in early 2009, but only as a 105 day trial run. A 19,500 cubic foot metal structure, more likened to a submarine than a spacecraft was assembled with supplies. The module consisted of three connected units: storage, medical, and living quarters. Living quarters were separated into private cabins of 
34 square feet. No TV or internet was allowed and communication with “ground control” was delayed by 20 minutes for each transmission to simulate the distance on a flight to Mars.
Exercise equipment was also provided and restroom and shower facilities resembling those used on manned spacecraft today. Meals were prepared in a similar fashion. For study and training an onboard garden was also kept and the crew conducted biomedical experiments during their stay.
The Test
On March 30, 2009, the crew entered the capsule; it was locked, and sealed with red wax to frustrate any attempts of contact. The crew consisted of four Russians – two cosmonauts, a doctor, and a sports physiologist accompanied by a German army engineer and a French airline pilot. The capsule and crew were monitored around the clock through internal cameras, which were occasionally aired on 
Russian television.
The crew emerged from the capsule on July 15, 2009 and the mission was declared a success. Some of the crew mentioned slight psychological trauma, mostly from the knowledge that they weren’t really going anywhere, but just locked in a big box. And almost all of them gained weight, despite daily workouts on the gym equipment. Interpersonal conflicts were negligible.
Many professional space travel officials say the experiment proved nothing and did nothing to advance human knowledge, but the supporters of the experiment and the Institute for Medical and Biological Problems disagreed and plans are going forward for the full 500 day experiment late in 2009 with a timeframe for an actual manned trip by 2039.
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