Kate Greene

Kate Greene was one of six people who spent four months living in a geodesic dome in Mauna Loa, Hawaii, simulating a Martian environment. The 'almost' astronauts were human guinea pigs in the Hi-SEAS project focused on the domestic challenges of privacy, food, and shared resources in space. Greene's book Once Upon a Time I Lived on Mars, is a series of reflective essays - that mix the scientific accounts with the personal - examining the impact the Hi-SEAS project had on her personal life, and philosophical outlook. I personally found this book to be highly timely as we are living in an age of intense social isolation. Greene's writing, which was often insightful and poetic, focused on the aspects of her mission that were trying: boredom, isolation, etc. But she also focuses on the wonders of space as well. This book could be classified as a memoir. However, it’s not an exact chronological memoir. Rather it is a series of musings and thoughts about loneliness, learning to live in limited space with other people, relationships (inside and outside of the dome), personal reflections…filtered through the lens of a poet, essayist, and former laser physicist and a person who clearly has a deep respect for the wonders of space.… (altro)

This book is a memoir by Kate Greene, about the simulated Mars mission that she took part in during 2013. She lived in a geodesic dome for four months, living as if she was on Mars, with a crew of scientists. The book is not chronological. Instead, it is a series of essays about her experience, each chapter focusing on a different topic or theme. Greene has a friendly tone that is very readable. The science isn't too complicated and the focus is on the more human side of things.

Reading the introduction, where Greene talks about seeing the same people, eating the same food, seeing the same view, every day, made me think about quarantine. It was interesting to be reading this book at this time, while so many of us are experiencing a similar thing of being locked in with the same people.

I found the background facts interesting, although I already knew a lot of them as I read a lot about space exploration. I found the psychology angle most interesting. I took less from the more philosophical musings, but that's because I don't find that kind of thing particularly interesting. If that is your thing then this book would be a great read. I did find a few parts of the book a little disjointed and hard to follow, but overall I enjoyed reading it.

Greene talks about what the experiment means for potential future Mars missions, but she also talks about what she took from the experience personally, and how it relates to her own life. I found the discussion of the potential for disabled people as astronauts particularly interesting, as someone with disabilities. The idea that some disabilities could actually be beneficial for space flight was not something I had considered, but perhaps in the future disabled people will be a vital part of the conversation around space exploration. Greene also highlights how even completely able and typical bodies need adaptations for space, showing that context for disability is everything. It made me think about how astronauts returning to earth often experience symptoms of orthostatic intolerance, something I experience on a daily basis as someone with PoTS. What could we learn about bodies in space from looking at disabled people on earth, and what could we learn about treating certain illnesses from looking at astronauts in space? The possibilities are endless, and fascinating.

On a final note, just as a heads up, there is a chapter which briefly discusses the use of guinea pigs in scientific research which, as a rodent lover, I did find difficult to read, although it was interesting.

Overall this book is an interesting read with some unique points of view, well worth reading for anyone interested in space exploration.… (altro)