Twenty-eight Chinese astronauts recently completed an intensive cave-training mission in Chongqing's mountainous terrain, simulating the physical and psychological challenges of space exploration. The six-day exercise, conducted in near-total darkness with 99% humidity and 8°C temperatures, tested capabilities in environmental monitoring, cave mapping, and team coordination under sensory deprivation.
Participants, including veterans of the Shenzhou-16, Shenzhou-17, and Shenzhou-19 missions, navigated narrow passages and vertical drops while conducting scientific experiments. Astronaut Song Lingdong emphasized the training's role in strengthening team dynamics: 'The harsh environment amplified our compatibility and shared determination to succeed.'
Shenzhou-16 crew member Zhu Yangzhu described the experience as 'truly pitch-dark… allowing us to feel our own heartbeat and breath—similar to the extreme quietness of space.' Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut, compared exiting the cave to spacecraft re-entry: 'That moment of emerging safely mirrors our mission success reports to the motherland.'
The China Astronaut Research and Training Center selected the Chongqing cave after evaluating over 10 locations nationwide since 2016. Future astronauts and new recruits will undergo similar training to prepare for extended space station missions and deep-space exploration.
