British media said that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is looking for "humorous" people to serve as astronauts to maintain morale in the long journey of detecting Mars.
According to the British "Daily Mail" website reported on February 18th, traditional astronauts are serious and sensible, with "the qualities they deserve", they can rely on them to fly billions of pounds worth of equipment.
But according to NASA research, any mission to Mars will require a "humorous" or "class clown" character to be successful.
According to the report, a sense of humour is crucial to the morale of any team going to Mars. It takes two years to go to Mars and the team will set off around 2030.
The report also said that the person responsible for humor will be tested at the team mission simulation team at the NASA Houston Johnson Space Center.
Jeffrey Johnson, a professor of anthropology at the University of Florida, is a consultant to the NASA Human Discovery Research Simulation Project, which examines how teams respond to extreme periods of loneliness.
Johnson said: "When someone in the team plays the role of a class clown, the team works best."
“These people have the ability to unite everyone, and when tensions arise, they can bridge differences and really boost morale.”
But he added: "Easy and funny is not enough to make a person qualified for this job. They are also excellent scientists and engineers who can pass rigorous training programs." Johnson has studied people in isolated environments in extreme environments, including Russian, Chinese, Indian and Polish explorers in Antarctica.
