ESA – The space under

For two intense weeks, deep below the Apennine Mountains, caves became their training laboratory. Trainees had to adapt to an alien underworld that shares many analogies with a space mission: isolation, confinement and limited supplies.

Participants in the eighth edition were ESA astronaut Rosemary Coogan, John McFall, member of ESA’s astronaut reserve and the Fly! project, NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, NASA astronaut candidate Ben Bailey and JAXA astronaut Ayu Yoneda.

Cave jewel

CAVES offers a unique opportunity for spacefarers to become proficient explorers by experiencing the physical and psychological extremes of an unknown environment.

“This latest edition in the Italian Matese region is a little jewel. While speleology and the caving techniques remain the means to reach the mission goals, we increased the crew’s level of autonomy,” explains Loredana Bessone, CAVES course director.

From day one, they build their team and grow together. The five participants take ownership by deciding on their roles for a four-day expedition into a pitch-black cave.

This edition marked a first in the course’s history: two women, Rosemary Coogan and Ayu Yoneda, took on the role of commander, and John McFall joined the team as part of the Fly! Project to assess the feasibility of astronauts with physical disabilities taking part in CAVES.

Other responsibilities of the team included scouting and logistics leads. Roles were swapped halfway through the expedition.

“For the first time, we have been to completely unexplored places in this cave system. This has been one of my first truly out-of-the-ordinary training experiences,” said expedition commander Rosemary, speaking from inside the cave.

Fast learners, resilient and curious, the trainees adapted to the challenges the cave presented. 

“We don’t tailor the course to individual astronauts. They are the ones who must adjust to it, as they would do during a space mission,” clarifies Loredana.

“The CAVES experience is about a group of people with different backgrounds learning to become a safe and effective team for risky space expeditions,” she adds.

Underground space

Before entering the cave, the crew learned cave mapping, surveying and rope-climbing techniques. They also familiarised themselves with underground photography and sampling for science.

Safety protocols, logistical planning and scientific research are all woven into the canvas of this space-analogue environment. As on the International Space Station, the crew had to maintain situational awareness at all times, keep track of every piece of equipment and communicate with the ground.

“Astronauts consistently highlight the similarities between cave exploration and spaceflight, including crew interactions, group living in a confined space, equipment management, fatigue and stress”, says Samuel Payler, CAVES deputy course director.

Like in space, the crew follows procedures, navigates unfamiliar terrain, maintains safety margins and makes decisions as a team in a remote and challenging setting. “We keep learning about analogies we never even intended,” adds Samuel.

With their training complete and their confidence as a team established, the crew of five began their real exploration.

Things to bring to the cave

Carrying all their gear, clothing and food in rucksacks, the crew made its way to base camp navigating the sloping, uneven terrain.

At base camp the team set up the tents for what became their home for four long, dark days.

They used ESA’s Electronic Field Book app to record the cave map, flag dangerous areas, science sampling locations and even where they left equipment behind to retrieve later.

Above ground, mission control tracked their progress with a copy of the 3D map synchronised on a tablet sent out daily. The ‘cavenauts’ also sent their observations and pictures to the teams above and established contact twice a day using a rudimentary phone line cabled by themselves. 

One of the tasks for the expedition was to monitor the cave’s changing environment. Science experiments carried over from previous editions included microbial sampling and tracking radon and carbon dioxide levels.

Back from darkness

The five trainees emerged from the cave tired but elated about this unique exercise in human behaviour and performance.

“There is so much about this course that can be applicable to space. It gets you to do challenging things and work as a team in a hostile environment, out of your comfort zone. This is what space exploration is about,” said John McFall from the cave.

The path they chose shaped their growth as space travellers and as a team. “The mixture of adventure, learning new skills, exploring novel and alien spaces, autonomy, and spaceflight-like operations makes this course a great recipe – made in Europe – for team growth and self-reflection, helping prepare astronauts for a career spent living and working in the difficult and risky environment of space,” says Samuel.

Follow their cave expedition on our CAVES Flickr gallery and on ESA’s social media platforms.