While this seems like something everyone might be used to after being quarantined for a large part of 2020, this isolated lockdown tests what life might be like on Mars, and during long space missions.
And the isolation NASA is testing will last for eight months.
This news got me thinking about a potential story. What if someone went into isolation then were required to be isolated again when they emerged?
This idea could be a series of books. In the first one, the main character is one of a few who are put into a compound in Russia (like the one NASA has in mind). They have the standard struggles around interpersonal conflicts, food rationing, and privacy.
Then, as soon as they get out at the end of the first book, they could find out that they are required to escape the world and head into space. The ultimate destination could be Mars, but it could also be to stay in orbit while the situation on Earth unfolds. This second book could introduce a new cast of characters and conflicts, with a lack of gravity playing a role.
If they were in orbit, the third book could be their return to Earth’s surface. If they were forced from the planet because of nuclear fallout, they might live underwater for a time. This underwater isolation could be a more extensive form of isolation in the first two books.
The story would be very relevant if the group comes out of their initial isolation to find the world in the grips of a global pandemic.
