It was an incredible experience, from the first to the last day of the mission! I am extremely grateful to Neurotek Lab and Lunex EuroSpaceHub for the opportunity I was given to participate in such a unique and fascinating adventure. The Astroland team took care of the crew all the way into the mission. Thanks to the monitoring of the Mission Control we felt safe during all our stay inside the cave, although we had challenges to face.  


When you find yourself under the ground, surrounded only by rocks, fatigued from climbing to reach the base, restricted in your movements by your helmet, suit and protective gloves, you really put yourself in the shoes of an astronaut. You become aware of how many skills and competencies our astronauts are required to develop and nurture in their careers. When you sleep with the ticking sound of water seeping from the quarry, you feel like one with our planet. At the same time, surrounded by such a magical and out of the ordinary location, you feel catapulted to another planet.

During this mission I learnt a lot, both in terms of soft and technical skills. I challenged myself a lot. I learnt how to collaborate in a group under highly stressful and demanding situations. As Vice Commander of the mission,  I learnt how to be proactive in supporting the Commander every day, both in terms of practical help and as a leader. I witnessed the importance of group relations in Space-like environments, I practised with mission protocols and mission communications. As a designer myself, it was very interesting for me to observe the relationship between the user-astronauts, the habitat, the extreme environment  and the tools on board. What an adventure! My take-aways from this experience are: new skills, new thoughts, new knowledge and - above all - unforgettable memories!

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