Next week sees the start of ESA’s underground training course for astronauts. Six new and experienced astronauts from all over the world, as well as our alien friend Paxi, will work together to overcome the difficulties of working in a new environment while performing a full scientific programme with limited supplies – similar to working on the International Space Station.
Although Paxi has already been on the ISS to visit ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, this will be his first time ever underground. He will be joining ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Russian cosmonaut Aleksei Ovchinin, Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and NASA astronauts Mike Barratt and Jack Fischer on the six-day adventure.
The two-week CAVES course starts with five days learning the ropes and preparing to explore Earth’s subsurface. The astronauts will be taught how to explore dark areas, safely scale cave walls and move in three dimensions, run scientific experiments and prepare their mission supplies.
Then the astronauts will descend into the Sa Grutta caves on the island of Sardinia, Italy, to spend six days underground. From their basecamp, the ‘cavenauts’ will explore and run experiments in complete darkness with only their helmet lamps for illumination!
The course aims to improve leadership, teamwork, decision-making and problem-solving skills in a multicultural environment. The cavenauts will look for life forms, test new technologies and study the underground weather, geology and environment, including measuring radiation and carbon dioxide levels.
Follow Paxi on this exciting new adventure. He will be posting updates and pictures on his Twitter and Facebook pages!
