NASA Assists Trapped Miners in Chile

NASA TV Airs Interview Excerpts About Assistance to Trapped Miners in Chile

"NASA has been asked by the Chilean government through the U.S. Department of State to provide technical advice that might assist the trapped miners at the San Jose gold and copper mine near Copiapo, Chile."

NASA to treat trapped Chilean miners, PressTV

"It's an opportunity to us to bring the space-flight experience back down to the ground," said Duncan, CNN reported. The NASA team includes two physicians and a psychologist. Despite fears of mental cracks, the miners have been told for the first time they have to wait at least four months before they can be recued."

How can NASA help Chile miners trapped a half-mile underground?, Christian Science Monitor

"Among the advice space and other experts are already providing the Chilean government: Have the miners develop a routine, including work, exercise, recreation, and rest; take steps to help the men maintain some sense of time and the passing of night and day; and foster their sense of connection to the world they've left behind by encouraging written, verbal, and video contact with families and by communicating the triumphs and defeats of favorite sports teams."

How Astronauts' Experience Could Help Trapped Chilean Miners, Gizmodo

"Jack Stuster of Anacapa Sciences in Santa Barbara, California, carried out a systematic analysis of diaries that were kept for this purpose by astronauts during their six-month ISS expeditions. Each of more than 4000 diary entries were categorised as positive, negative or neutral in tone. Stuster found the strongest overall negative tone in the third quarter of expeditions, a period that has also been said to affect scientists on long stays in the Antarctic. Communications with management deteriorated in the third quarter too, and the frequency of interpersonal problems rose by a fifth."


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They should probably be consulting the US BOP instead. (http://www.bop.gov)


I think it's great that NASA may be able to provide advice based upon expertise from the Space Station and other long-duration flights. They might want to contact the Navy also regarding their experience with nuclear submarines. Some big differences, however, in the miners' plight and those of astronauts and sailors is sheer boredom. The NASA and Navy guys have something to do all the time, plus recreational activities available. And the astronauts can look out the window at one of the most spectacular sights ever seen. The miners can only look at rock walls ... if they have any light at all (presumably the rescuers have lowered lights to them, or maybe they were already in the safe haven).

Once all this is over, I can't imagine the feeling of being pulled a half mile up through a two foot diameter hole. A Soyuz landing might be more pleasant.

It's difficult to mentally or physically put oneself into the situation these men are facing. It's something they knew could happen but went into the mines in spite of that for economic reasons.

Now that they're isolated for what some say could be until Christmas, NASA can not only help them but has the opportunity to study how they cope under these conditions.

It would help their families and the miner's spirits if NASA could "adopt" them as a study, assisting them through program funding and letting them know they will become a part of space science studies.

That might be worth something to them, both emotionally and financially. And NASA will benefit for being allowed to study something no one would have intentionally done for study.

Instead of just feeling trapped they could embrace this time as contributors to something no one else has. They will make history.

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About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Keith Cowing published on August 28, 2010 12:10 PM.

NASA's Electrodynamic Tether Propulsion Demonstration Mission was the previous entry in this blog.

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