Manned Mission to Mars

[toonia]

I recently watched a program on NASA's plans to send a team to Mars in the next few decades. The crew will be together in tight quarters with no escape or hope of rescue for about half a year each way and then for 18 months on the surface until the next launch window opens up.

What types of individuals (personalities) would be best suited for such a task? Would a homogeneous group be preferable to a diverse group? Could you see yourself in this scenario. How do you suppose you would be affected by it?

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[Doppelbock]

I think they need to avoid teaming up introverts with strong extroverted types, or the I's will kill the E's and flush their dead bodies out the airlock.

DB

[blueback]

I think that it will be really important to make sure the group can function for that long under those circumstances. I don't think that's something they can predict, I think they will have to actually test the group under simulated mission conditions.

I also think that things like desire for dominance will be more important than intro/extroversion. You can't affort to have more than one "chief" on that mission. With too little territory to split up two "chiefs" will kill each other and take most of the crew with them.

[OneBadMother]

Probably they should at least have an ENTJ, for leadership purposes. ENTJs seem to like to command, and more importantly they're actually pretty good at it. Also, they would be able to cope with whatever space throws their way, unlike some S types. Perhaps an INTP to back them up and examine their plans. For the general crew I'm not sure, but probably not a good idea to have too many Ps.

[Paul V]

Leader: ENTJ.
Second In Command: INTJ.
Main Technician: INTP.
Rest of the crew: ESTJ, ISTJ, ESFJ and/or ISFJ, all equally divided.

[Nomad]

It occurs to me that any crew would be to some extent self selected. You don't go after a job as an astronaut unless your capable and willing to cope with that sort of situation. Command is not usually an issue unless someone goes insane ( hard to predict even with the best testing) because most astronauts come out of the military or at the very least have that training. The training for being an astronaut would tend to weed out those who can't cope. It's a tough road, from what I understand.

-Nomad

[Henry]

Leader: ENTJ.
Second In Command: INTJ.
Main Technician: INTP.
Rest of the crew: ESTJ, ISTJ, ESFJ and/or ISFJ, all equally divided.

Years in a confined area with an ENTJ at the helm, barking orders to everyone? I'd commit suicide.

Its got to be an NF at the helm to keep the peace, even with astronauts. People working together for 8 hours per day drive each other nuts; I would not brake for about 1/4 of my coworkers, and couldn't care less about another half, and I'm probably one of the nicer ones in the office. People working together for 3 years to fly to Mars and back would have serious and consistent flareups, and only an NF could stand it and excel in that enviroment.

And you'd need varied personalities and intellects. You'd need Fs in leadership positions and Ts in technical ones.

[OneBadMother]

An ENFJ at the helm? I don't think that would work. A leader can't take things too personally, either, even if the crew turns out fine.

[Henry]

An ENFJ at the helm? I don't think that would work. A leader can't take things too personally, either, even if the crew turns out fine.

INFJ then. I can stand Ghandi in close quarters as a boss for 3 years. I can't stand a stressed-out Bill Gates.

[toonia]

INTJs and INTPs seem like potential candidates although the close quarter issue is a consideration. However, a grouping of introverts could create an equilibrium of parallel isolation. The iNtuition does allows for escape into ones mind. This may be necessary. Becoming skilled at meditation, or in a more extreme cases the use of sedatives, may be necessary.

One challenging aspect of the skills required is the ability to go from extended periods of mundane activity to high performance action. Types that need stimulation on a regular basis would not be a good fit. Routine oriented with the ability to switch modes is needed.

I question my own ability to be suited to such a task because of a need to connect to nature. Perceiving the vast expanse of stars has been one natural way of going about it, but the closed quarters without escape bothers me to think about. This will be a strain on any human, even the most ideally suited.

[Paul V]

Actually, for each position, I gathered the most desirable qualities of the types.

Leader: Extroversion, Rationality, Confidence. E, NT, J.
Second in Command: Same as Leader, but needs to be Introverted, or it will be competing with the Leader all the time.
Technician: Duh. Introversion, Rationality, Perception.
Rest: Needs mostly S types, to deal with the daily chores and details. I and E are not important, as long as they're equally distributed. T and F have to be balanced as well. Js are encouraged, Ps are not (The daily schedule needs to be followed).

[HackerX]

An INTP won't take orders from an INTJ for long.

[The Rose]

I recently watched a program on NASA's plans to send a team to Mars in the next few decades. The crew will be together in tight quarters with no escape or hope of rescue for about half a year each way and then for 18 months on the surface until the next launch window opens up.

What types of individuals (personalities) would be best suited for such a task? Would a homogeneous group be preferable to a diverse group? Could you see yourself in this scenario. How do you suppose you would be affected by it?

To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. that mission seems like I really tough assignment!
Generally speaking, I don't believe that many people of the same type can ideally get along with each other for a long time, nor would they have the balanced points of view of a more diverse team, so I definitely vote for a diverse group.
I feel sorry for any E who goes on that mission, but on the other hand, if I had to be in close quarters with several other people and NEVER be alone for 2 1/2 years, I think I might go insane! Maybe the Es would be better suited!

[OneBadMother]

An INTP won't take orders from an INTJ for long.

An INTP won't take orders period, which is why they're ill-suited to be part of the bulk crew. With an ENTJ to take their suggestions and put them into action, though, awesome things could be accomplished.

[HackerX]

An INTP won't take orders period, which is why they're ill-suited to be part of the bulk crew. With an ENTJ to take their suggestions and put them into action, though, awesome things could be accomplished.

True enough :)

Though if the ENTJ and INTP are seeing eye to eye (which they tend to do, ENTJ's are awesome like that) then together they will be very productive.

[Puffi]

I think no-one should be the clear leader on a mission like this, because that puts all the stress on that individual. If he fails you might as well turn home. The command should be spread out out so each individual feels they are responsible for something across the mission.

When people are cooped up in small spaces together they form a tight bond. Any strong hierarchy will clash with it, creating separate groups. The groups develop negative feelings towards the out-group and favoritism for the in-group.

Then again, the nature of the mission can override most of these problems. It's such a grand mission that the group will feel special to be part of it, which is a strong source of cohesion.

E's will definitely be better suited for this! Like The Rose said, I's would go insane. Anyone been to the army? Remember sharing the room/tent with 15 other men...

[OneBadMother]

Speaking of men, what should be the gender ratio? Or should that matter? I think that as long as there isn't, let's say, a single woman in a crew full of men, it should be okay. At the same time, the selection should be completely based on merit, so none of it should technically matter. It might become an issue, though, especially with Ss aboard.