Russian women finish test on space flight confinement

MOSCOW: After emerging from an eight-day space simulation, the all-female Russian crew says they missed their loved ones in the confined experiment more than they missed shampoo or chocolate.

The six-woman crew climbed into a grounded space capsule last week to imitate a lunar flight and test the effects of confinement and stress that come with space travel.

While Russia's space medicine center has conducted similar experiments in the past, this is the first time the crew was all female. Speculation swirled in the Russian media about whether they would be able to survive without males or cosmetics for a week. The women assured journalists it was possible.

Asked whether she missed shampoo or chocolate in confinement, crewmember Anna Kussmaul told reporters Friday she was more concerned about her family.