In the shadow of the Swiss Alps, a group of students from around the world gathers to simulate a mission to the moon. Analog space missions are full-scale simulations of space exploration conducted here on Earth.

RAZOR's Reya El-Salahi travels to Switzerland as the 5th student-led Asclepios mission goes ahead. Taking place inside the Sasso San Gottardo fortress, a subterranean bunker, the long stone tunnels are the perfect location to double for the lava tunnels on the moon, which have been identified as a possible location for a future lunar base.

The nine young analog astronauts will undergo intense training, isolation, and perform scientific experiments. The mission provides a training ground to prepare these future scientists and engineers for the realities of working in extreme environments. As our species prepares to return to the Moon and venture onward to Mars, missions like this offer critical insights into how we live, work, and survive in alien environments.

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