'Space-like astronaut' training to be held underground in Italy

ESA trainers and caving specialists, recently, set the scene for space-like astronaut training which is to be held underground in Sardinia, Italy for a session, later this summer.

Clambering down to base-camp hundreds of metres below the surface using safety tethers is similar to conducting a spacewalk, and this year the procedures have been updated to include astronaut terminology.

In space an object can quickly float away and be lost forever, but in caving, dropped equipment can be lost forever in crevices or holes.

CAVES exploration instructor, Francesco Sauro said that caves is an exploration mission and this year will be more difficult as the astronauts venture further from base-camp.

For the first time the trainees will set up an outpost more than 5 km from base-camp to spend the night, following directions and maps drawn by 'cavenauts' from previous years.

As for any space mission, science is a priority so the astronauts will be measuring carbon dioxide and radon levels as well as taking microbiological samples of the life they encounter.

New techniques will be put to the test using apps developed by the trainers at the European Astronaut Centre that could be used on the International Space Station in the near future.

Step-by-step instructions incorporating schedules, procedures, crew notes and data collection in a single application should speed up experiments to get more work done.

The cavenauts will be testing exciting new technology for cavers as well, that includes system combining 3D cameras, laser mapping and a wearable computers.

This year's five astronauts will be announced soon.