The geology field training course Pangaea is back for its third leg.
Designed to train astronauts and explorers on planetary formation and detecting signs of life, the Pangaea course combines classroom lectures with field trips to sites of geological interest.
Led by European scientists, this year’s participants include ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter, Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and ESA expert Aidan Cowley. They were introduced to geological processes, how to interpret rock formations and explorationtools before moving out into the field to put their knowledge into practice.
Starting in Germany, the team learned about impact craters at the world’s best preserved impact site: the Ries crater. The team then moved on to explore landscapes that resemble Mars at the Bletterbach canyon in the Italian Dolomites.
Exercises for the astronauts included describing rocks, identifying minerals and sketching the landscape as a means to read its history in detail.
From 11 to 16 November the team will get to explore the most Martian of all Earth-based landscapes: Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands.
This alien landscape is one of the best areas on Earth to understand the geological interactions between volcanic activity and water – two key factors in the search for life.
To be found among the rugged terrain are many lava tubes, such as the one pictured here.
Lava tubes are underground structures that also occur on the Moon and Mars. Being underground structures, they offer good shelters from radiation. They may contain subsurface water, and therefore be interesting in the search of extraterrestrial microbial life. This makes them an ideal site to explore for future planetary explorers.
During Pangaea-X from 19-23 November, the team will conduct a sample-return mission to test technologies for future space missions.
They will lay the groundwork for an exciting experiment to take place in 2019 from the International Space Station. The experiment will have an astronaut on the Space Station controlling a rover in Lanzarote to test robotics and relay communications, mission control logistics and robotic capabilities for future lunar and Martian missions.
Follow the Pangaea course on social media and keep up to date with field activities via the blog.
Credits: ESA–L. Ricci
Tags: Blue ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Pangea Astronauts Exploration Exploring Cave
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Standing at the rim of this volcanic edifice, the Pangaea field team stops to take a 360° panoramic photo to show the remote science team at ground control.
The main focus of the third session of Pangaea is volcanism. Lessons on the first day emphasized types of lavas and volcanoes found across Earth, Mars and the Moon.
ESA’s Pangaea training course prepares astronauts and space engineers to identify planetary geological features for future missions to the Moon, Mars and asteroids.
Leading European planetary geologists share their insights into the geology of the Solar System.
Through Pangaea, Europe is developing operational concepts for surface missions where astronauts and robots work together, among themselves and with scientists and engineers on Earth, using the best field geology and planetary observation techniques.
More about Pangaea
Stay tuned on the blog
Credits: ESA–A. Romeo
Tags: Red ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Human spaceflight Astronaut Astronauts Cosmonaut Lanzarote Caves Pangaea Canary Islands Islas Canarias Spain España Expedition training Volcano Volcanic Volcanoes Life
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PANGAEA trainee Sergei Kud-Sverchkov is ready to rock, providing the science team with a detailed audio description of the highly-altered sample he is examining.
The main focus of the third session of Pangaea is volcanism. Lessons on the first day emphasized types of lavas and volcanoes found across Earth, Mars and the Moon.
ESA’s Pangaea training course prepares astronauts and space engineers to identify planetary geological features for future missions to the Moon, Mars and asteroids.
Leading European planetary geologists share their insights into the geology of the Solar System.
Through Pangaea, Europe is developing operational concepts for surface missions where astronauts and robots work together, among themselves and with scientists and engineers on Earth, using the best field geology and planetary observation techniques.
More about Pangaea
Stay tuned on the blog
Credits: ESA–A. Romeo
Tags: Red ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Human spaceflight Astronaut Astronauts Cosmonaut Lanzarote Caves Pangaea Canary Islands Islas Canarias Spain España Expedition training Volcano Volcanic Volcanoes Life
© All Rights Reserved
The main focus of the third session of Pangaea is volcanism. Lessons on the first day emphasized types of lavas and volcanoes found across Earth, Mars and the Moon.
ESA’s Pangaea training course prepares astronauts and space engineers to identify planetary geological features for future missions to the Moon, Mars and asteroids.
Leading European planetary geologists share their insights into the geology of the Solar System.
Through Pangaea, Europe is developing operational concepts for surface missions where astronauts and robots work together, among themselves and with scientists and engineers on Earth, using the best field geology and planetary observation techniques.
More about Pangaea
Stay tuned on the blog
Credits: ESA–A. Romeo
Tags: Red ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Human spaceflight Astronaut Astronauts Cosmonaut Lanzarote Caves Pangaea Canary Islands Islas Canarias Spain España Expedition training Volcano Volcanic Volcanoes Life
© All Rights Reserved
Pangaea-X is a test campaign that brings together geology, high-tech survey equipment and space exploration. Astronauts, scientists, operations experts and instrumentation engineers work side-by-side to advance European know-how of integrated human and robotics mission operations.
An extension of ESA’s Pangaea geology training, the training involves working with the latest technologies in instrumentation, navigation, remote sensing, 3D imaging and geoscience equipment.
The Pangaea-X crew explores the barren and dry landscape of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, Spain, to prepare for the day when we set foot on other worlds. Known as the island of a thousand volcanoes, Lanzarote was chosen because of its geological similarity with Mars, such as a volcanic origin, mild sedimentary processes owing to a dry climate, hardly any vegetation and a well-preserved landscape.
More about Pangaea
Follow the Pangaea blog
Credits: ESA–A. Romeo
Tags: ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Lanzarote Canary Islands Islas Canarias Spain España Islas Canarias Volcano Volcanic Volcanoes Moon Exploration Astronaut Astronauts Astronaut training
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