Training astronauts for scientific exploration on planetary surfaces: The ESA PANGAEA programme

• Published in: Acta Astronautica
• Main Authors: Sauro, Francesco, Payler, Samuel J., Massironi, Matteo, Pozzobon, Riccardo, Hiesinger, Harald, Mangold, Nicolas, Cockell, Charles S., Frias, Jesus Martínez, Kullerud, Kåre, Turchi, Leonardo, Drozdovskiy, Igor, Bessone, Loredana
• Other Authors: orcid:, #NODATA#
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2023
• Subjects: Exploration | Flexecution | Human spaceflight | Lunar missions | Planetary geology | Training; Lofoten; Norway
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/359754; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2022.12.034; https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85145964710

Future human missions to the Moon and Mars will require astronauts to perform science-focused surface exploration in complex geological environments. However, the scientific expertise required for these activities is uncommon in the astronaut corps. PANGAEA (Planetary ANalogue Geological and Astrobiological Exercise for Astronauts) is a field training course designed by the European Space Agency (ESA) that addresses the topics of geological and astrobiological planetary exploration. The course intends to impart the essential basic theoretical and practical knowledge of geology and astrobiology, in order to prepare astronauts for advanced mission specific training. Significant focus is given to skills in areas relevant to future missions, such as scientific decision-making, working with a remotely located science team, and efficient documentation. For this reason, although portions of the course are taught in classrooms, developing independent field skills in analogue geological environments is a key part of the training. Classroom and field lessons are tightly interwoven in the course structure with a time separation often of only hours between being introduced to a concept in the classroom and seeing it in the field. The course forms part of the basic and pre-assignment training for European astronauts and is open to trainees from all other agencies. PANGAEA has been running since 2016, with participants including ESA and NASA astronauts, and Roscosmos cosmonauts, as well as mission designers, operations personnel and engineers. The primary field sites selected for the course are Permo-Triassic sedimentary sequences in the Italian Dolomites, impact lithologies in the Ries Crater, Germany, a comprehensive suite of volcanic deposits in Lanzarote, Spain, and anorthosite outcrops in Lofoten, Norway. Each is used as a base to deliver the main learning sessions, respectively: 1) Earth geology, rock recognition and sedimentology on Earth and Mars, 2) Lunar geology and impact cratering, 3) volcanism on Earth, Moon, and ...