Meili-I Continuous Geology Training
︎ 3 August 2023
Our analogue astronauts have completed 8 hours of online geology training with Arty Goodwin, geology study lead, in preparation for our 2023 analogue mission.
The next step in their training is a live practice weekend in Wales, where they will put their new knowledge to the test, by practising the geology data collection methods they have learned. This will ensure that they are fully prepared to engage in geological research on the upcoming mission. This kind of training represents a small-scale version of the preparations that NASA astronauts in the Apollo program took before performing geological experiments on the moon.
Here is what our analogue astronauts had to say about the training:
Gidon Gautel - Commander
“I’ve absolutely loved our geology training and I’m really looking forward to putting it into practice. It’s been particularly fun for me to see field geology from an astronaut’s perspective, and think hard about how to match research requirements with the broader resources of the mission and crew. It’s given me a deeper appreciation of the intricate thought that must have gone into past extra-terrestrial geology on the Apollo missions, and will go into future missions on Mars and beyond.”
Jack Gordon - Mission Specialist
“Coming from a physics background, my only experience with geology in a space context was reading about it in the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal. This training has definitely helped me to learn something completely new, and I’m looking forward to trying out practical field geology on the mission. It’s also very rewarding to be a part of real geological research.”
