To reach Mars, future astronauts will need to maintain uncommon levels of cheer in situations both terrifying and boring. They will be dealing with unknowns the likes of which humanity hasn't seen since the inception of spaceflight. They will also be trapped with their co-workers in small capsules for years. The commute to Mars alone will take more than 200 days. The challenges that today's astronauts face don't compare: The journey to the International Space Station can be as short as four hours; to the moon, a few days. The average stint at the ISS is six months, and at this point even the riskiest work there is relatively routine. If humans are to even set foot on another planet, Earth might need to send a different type of astronaut. And the most promising candidates might be people whom NASA has long looked to for inspiration, but rarely as hires'outdoor explorers used to navigating challenging and unknown environments, in small groups and relative isolation. The gap between...
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