Although hibernation has been used on previous space efforts this is the first time that men have been put into hibernation before departure.

And in perfect hibernation.

It's cold. I want to hibernate.

You have hibernation sickness.

Winter, slumbering in the open air

She's going into deep sleep now.

Three of the five men were put aboard asleep or to be more precise, in a state of hibernation.

If I can get the groundhog to see his shadow

And it was his universe on punch cards.

All us flowers sleep in the winter.

Here we go,

In winter I wear an overcoat.

I wear an overcoat in the winter.

Why don't people hibernate?

Throughout Alaska and British Columbia, thousands of bear families are emerging from their winter sleep.

According to the legend, tomorrow, February 2nd if the groundhog wakes and sees his shadow we've got six more weeks of winter.

He had hardly got into bed when he fell asleep.

The sixth member of the Discovery crew was not concerned about the problems of hibernation.

Now, the three hibernating crew members represent the survey team.

My name is Dongdong Li,

You've got to go through phases and stuff, and if you're interrupted, you don't sleep well.

Yeah, when the door shut, it's like he went to sleep or something.

She's into REMs now.

Does it snow much in winter?

Does it snow much in the winter?

Do you get much snow in the winter?

Does it snow a lot in the winter?

Remember this fact for later!

My flight leaves later tonight.

Your responsibilities include watching over the men in hibernation.

So what we did, we went to Alaska, which is where the grizzlies rely on really high, almost inaccessible, mountain slopes for their denning.

Winter is gone.

Summer and winter occur simultaneously on the surface of our planet.

You spent eight years in the hyperbunk.

There is nothing to eat up here, but the conditions were ideal for hibernation.

That is the call that chimpanzees make before they go to sleep in the evening.

So I remember those nights

Dr. Poole, what's it like while you are in hibernation?

It's not going to happen. I'm betting it will, and if he does, you check out of here.

It's starting to get colder here. Winter is definitely on the way.

I'm sleepy, so I am leaving now.

I'm sleepy, so I'm leaving now.

We are sleepy.

(Laughter) (Applause) (Cheers)

And Nibbles sleeps in a pouch.