In 2016, the European Space Agency selected 6 astronauts from around the world, who did not go deep into space, but beneath the surface of the Earth. More specifically, they descended 790 m below the surface in Sardinia (Italy). There are many rocky caves in this area, which in ESA are used to simulate a space expedition and train astronauts to study the alien environment.
Pedro Duque, Meir Ulrica, Richard Arnold, Akihiko Hodise, Ye Gianfu and Sergey Korsakov were among the lucky six. Why were they sent underground?
The fact is that in these caves there is no natural light, as well as the types of heavy activity and sounds that we are used to in the wild. Moving up and down the walls of the cave resembles a spacewalk in zero gravity or microgravity: you need to stay close to the wall, be attentive to any changes in the structure of the environment, and learn to work individually and as a team.
Astronauts on ESA underground training courses in 2014. It can be seen as they climb the wall of the cave The event in Sardinia is called the “Joint Adventure for Evaluation and Exercise” (CAVES). Earlier, ESA has sent astronauts to the course in 2014. One of the main goals of the event is the development of cooperation between astronauts from different countries and cultures, which will take it into outer space.
The course is also considered an excellent testing ground for testing new types of photographic equipment capable of creating three-dimensional maps of the cave environment, as well as communication systems that can make their way through 790 m of stone.
The expedition covers 6 days, during which people are completely cut off from the sunlight, are in darkness and silence. It sounds scary, but it is important for scientists that such an environment becomes familiar to the psyche of astronauts who are destined to go into space and other worlds, where even more severe conditions await them.
Being an astronaut is hard work and CAVES will be the first step to ensure that men and women around the worlds are ready for even more grueling and unusual tasks when they go into space.
