🚀 Imagine trading your spaceship for a dark, damp cave… that's exactly what happened when 28 Chinese astronauts dove into Wulong’s deep caves in the Chinese mainland's southwest Chongqing Municipality.
Starting in December 2025, the crew split into four groups, spending six days and five nights at a time in the underground labyrinth. Over nearly a month, they faced pitch-black tunnels, cramped quarters, and unpredictable challenges—just like in a real space mission.
Inside the cave, low-light navigation tests, energy-management drills, and emergency simulations pushed their physical and mental limits. Teams practiced everything from vehicle repairs in tight spots to coordinating supplies with delayed communication—think of it as a real-life "The Martian" scenario! 🌌
By simulating isolation, resource constraints, and technical glitches, the exercise honed pilots’ teamwork and resilience. "This training helps us adapt to the unknowns of space," said one astronaut, reflecting the program’s goal of preparing for long-term missions beyond Earth.
As the Chinese space agency eyes new lunar and orbital projects in 2026, these cave-based drills underscore a fresh approach to astronaut prep—combining extreme environments with cutting-edge science to boost mission success.
Reference(s):
How China's astronauts train in a deep cave for space missions
cgtn.com
