On Friday, the unique Mars-500 experiment for simulating a manned flight to Mars has been successfully completed.

      The metal door of the spacecraft, sealed on July 3, 2010, has been opened and the six members of the crew - three Russians, a Chinese, a Frenchman, and an Italian – were 'freed' and quickly bundled away for further observation after being briefly presented to the world's press.

        The crew of an improvise spaceship consisted of Sukhrob Kamolov, the mission's doctor, Diego Urbina, a 27-year-old engineer, Wang Yue, a 26-year-old Chinese specialist, and Romain Charles, 31-year-old French engineer and Russia's Alexander Smolevsky. The experiment was headed by Russia's Alexei Sityov.

        The group controversially included no women, in order to avoid another "Big Brother" TV show instead of the scientific experiment. All the experiment's members will be given financial incentive of about 3 million roubles (around $100,000).

      The 520-day experiment's participants were greeted for their "return to Earth" with applause and cheers by their wives, children, relatives, friends and experts.

        The third stage of the "Mars 500" experiment has been lasting since June 2010 to November 2011, for 520 days. The previous two stages lasted 14 and 105 days. On February 12-23 the three spaceship's members were "on Mars", studying "martian" soil and making some experiments. There was also a situation simulated that one of the spaceship's members "broke" his arm. But there was no a single real incident during the "flight".

      The Mars-500 experiment was mainly designed as a marathon study of what happens when a group of people get stuck in tight quarters for a long time. The Russian programme director, Alexander Suvorov, said that no one's physical and mental health suffered.

      In accordance with the medical research program, the spacemen will not give any interviews up to November 8.

      Sources: Lenta.ru RIA Novosti ABCnews Image: Discovery News

      Related News: Mars Rover to Be Tested During “Mars-500” (21.01.2011)

      Mars-500 Chronicles: One Month of Total Isolation (July 9, 2010)

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      Safe Landing: Mars 500 mission 'returns' to Earth (by Russia Today)