Submarines for space

Submarines are emerging as a unique research platform to study human adaption to extreme environments – from ocean depths to outer space.

ESA, the Portuguese Space Agency and the Portuguese Navy are now using these vessels to recreate isolation and confinement challenges for space exploration.

Submarines replicate the isolation, confinement and operational challenges of space missions, making them ideal for studying how these conditions affect crew members and for developing strategies to help them cope.

The first crew of the SubSea project has started its immersion for a 60-day submarine mission. A scientific team from universities in Germany, Italy and Portugal is studying how stress, mood and crew dynamics evolve in cramped quarters, much like space missions.

To understand how body and mind adapt throughout the mission, scientists use questionnaires and collect hair and saliva samples. The results help them track stress markers like cortisol, as well as monitor changes in the crew’s immune health.

Integrating knowledge from submarine and astronaut research communities could drive innovation in healthcare for polar stations, military deployments, hiking expeditions, populations living in prolonged darkness, and even mining operations. Findings could address clinical disorders such as seasonal affective disorder, depression, and sleep disturbances.

The following spokespeople appear in this video:

-          Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA Director of Human and Robotic Exploration.

-          Andreas Mogensen, ESA astronaut.

-          Inês Antunes, SubSea science coordinator for ESA.

-          Ricardo Conde, President of the Portuguese Space Agency.

-          Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo, Chief of the Portuguese Naval Staff.