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The Esa Caves Astronaut Training Program 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018 (LPI Contrib. No. 2083) 1458.pdf THE ESA CAVES ASTRONAUT TRAINING PROGRAM: SPELEOLOGY AS AN ANALOGUE FOR SPACE MISSIONS Loredana Bessone1, Jo De Waele2 , Francesco Sauro2, 1Directorate of Human and Robotics Exploration, European Space Agency, Linder Höhe, 51147 Köln, Germany, [email protected], 2Department of Biological, Geolog- ical and Environmental Sciences, Italian Institute of Speleology, Bologna University, Via Zamboni 67, 40126, Bo- logna, Italy, [email protected], [email protected] Introduction: Space agencies are concerned with hostilility of the environment, similarly to what is ex- training of their astronauts for long duration missions, perienced during Extravehicular Activities (EVA). not only for current and future orbital missions but also Behavioural issues for isolated, confined teams in for future human and robotic planetary surface explo- future planetary missions are one of the least known ration. Preparing for expeditions to other planets re- factors with a very high potential impact on the mis- quires a realistic replication of environmental and situ- sion success. From a psychological and psychosocial ational characteristics of the extreme conditions of point of view, much of the spaceflight stressors are space in earth analogue platforms, where stressors sim- present in cave exploration. When inside a cave, days ilar to those encountered in long duration spaceflight of progression far from the entrance, the isolation is are provided [1] . The environments in which such complete. Cave environments are obviously confined, training events are carried out must have realistic per- but mainly mobility is constrained, for safety reasons, ceived risk and must enable the execution of complex to specific paths along walls, like in EVA. Communi- technical tasks, as well as requiring group living in cation with the surface is extremely limited and relies isolated and/or confined settings. This requires the only on technologies that are not trustworthy. This identification of suitable terrestrial analogue environ- sense of isolation is directly correlated with the dis- ments and the design of high-fidelity training courses / tance (in time) from the entrance. mission scenarios with representative operational set- Some stress elements are directly related to the up. rough nature of the cave environment and to the diffi- Since 2008 the European Space Agency has started culty of creating comfortable habitability settings at the investigating the use of scientific expeditions into base camp. That is translated in lack of privacy, un- caves as a novel platform for astronaut training, taking comfortable sleeping, limited hygiene, exposure to advantage of the natural analogies of the cave envi- cold and humidity, dust and mud, etc. All these stress- ronment and associated technical operations with ors, if not managed, in the long term induce irritation, space missions. In 2011 a new ESA training pro- social conflicts within the team, altered decision- gramme named CAVES (Cooperative Adventure for making or even physiological discomfort and health Valuing and Exercising human behaviour and perfor- issues. mance Skills) was launched, with the specific goal to Different cultural approaches to leadership, infor- prepare astronauts for long duration space missions. mation sharing, decision making and teamwork are Environmental and expeditionary analogies: employed during current ISS missions, all while re- The cave environment naturally shares several of the specting established hierarchies, rules and procedures. stressors that are usually found in human spaceflights Whilst not all cave expeditions have a structured ap- [1]. From a physiological point of view the absence of proach to team processes, the CAVES programme natural zeitgebers can cause alteration of the circadian builds upon the situational analogies, while imposing a rhythms [2] and the related physiological stress can be structured approach to the development of the team, avoided only through earth-like work/rest schedules, while maintaining flexibility, strongly emphasising similar to those developed for the ISS. In the dark en- team growth via thorough analysis of its own activities vironment of a cave there is a decrease in sunlight ex- and decisions. posure requiring consequent adaptation to artificial CAVES concept and training structure: Caves are light, similar to conditions on the ISS, due to confine- hostile and dangerous environments that shall be dealt ment and the sixteen day/night cycle/day, and for fu- with clear operational safety rules, requiring the mas- ture interplanetary travel, due to external lighting con- tering of technical progression skills. The environment ditions, as well as the need to live in artificial habitats. is however just a “container”: analogies should be The three-dimensionality of cave progression, the lack based on similarities in experiences, not just in envi- of common references, the use of headlights and the ronment [3]. During CAVES astronauts are trained in associated presence of shadows and badly illuminat- the use of single rope ascension tools and techniques, ed/visible or inaccessible/keep-out zones increase the to negotiate obstacles and long traverses rigged with iron cables. This technical training resembles skills and 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference 2018 (LPI Contrib. No. 2083) 1458.pdf safety protocols required to move and operate in extra- Aside of scientific experiments and research the vehicular activity, with reduced field of view, shad- mission is also the ground for technological testing of ows, tri-dimensional progression through viable paths, new innovative equipment that has the overall goal to confused perception of obstacles and distances, keep- improve operations in the cave environment, but also out and no-touch zones. with potential applications in space. In the last three This preparatory training is propedeutical to an extend- editions much of the efforts have been dedicated to the ed caves exploration phase, where the astronauts au- evaluation of two wireless cave radio systems, called tonomously perform a scientific expedition as a multi- TEDRA and XFERRA. Both of them have provided cultural and multidisciplinary team. Astronauts are interesting results, allowing to the crew the set up of an trained to use a buddy system and to maintain team advanced camp, ensuring the communication with the situational awareness through briefings and debriefings ground team, required for safety reasons. Also, colli- in order to maintain control on the safety of the whole sion resistant drones specifically developed for in- group, to allow informed decision making for each specting confined and dangerous environments have member of the team, and to enable team learning been tested. The tests are used to improve the instru- through analysis of failures and successes. ments and their user procedures for the next editions, Analogue team training needs to be based on the con- but also these systems could provide a base from cept of operations [4] , and provide real challenges, which to develop reliable communication systems stressors and a credible programme. During the from lunar lava tube missions in the future. Other CAVES mission, astronauts will explore new branches technologies tested are those related to survey and of the cave, and are required to survey all newly ex- documentation, like new laser measurement tools plored areas, as well as provide photographic docu- (Cavesniper, Megaplot SJ), or for equipment and cloth- mentation of all activities performed. ing (new concept of cave shoes for slippery surfaces, Scientific and technological program: As for space CUPRON fibres socks and others). missions, in CAVES astronauts carry out a compre- Conclusions: The environment scientific, operational hensive scientific program, according to a flexible op- and situational realism, as well as the real, albeit con- erational timeline and space-like procedures. The sci- trolled risk of makes this it a highly credible and valu- entific tasks the astronauts are asked to carry out are able training venue. Astronauts are directly involved in numerous: microbiological sampling of air, water, and one of the open human frontiers of exploration on solid material, monitoring of cave air temperature, Earth: the underground. Despite various important relative humidity, CO2 concentration, and wind speed differences with space stations, that host current space and direction, sampling of waters and minerals for missions, caves are complex alien environments, offer- follow-up laboratory analyses, and monitoring (and, in ing several of the same situations and associated space- some cases, sampling) of cave dwelling fauna (mainly flight stressors and team processes, as well as science troglobites). During the pre-expedition training, crew- opportunities. members test the different experiment procedures and Differently to other analogues, communication in- methodologies assisted by scientists, in order also to side a cave is rather unreliable, forcing the develop- achieve a good understanding of the relevance of ob- ment of very autonomous mission operations, with servation and sample collection or data analysis acqui- reduced reliance on control and directions from ground sition methodology to the achievement of good scien- teams. This offers a rather interesting testbed for future tific objectives. planetary exploration scenarios, which will include
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