Future human missions to the Moon and Mars will require astronauts to perform science-focused surface exploration in complex geological environments. However, the scientific expertise required for these activities is uncommon in the astronaut corps. PANGAEA (Planetary ANalogue Geological and Astrobiological Exercise for Astronauts) is a field training course designed by the European Space Agency (ESA) that addresses the topics of geological and astrobiological planetary exploration. The course intends to impart the essential basic theoretical and practical knowledge of geology and astrobiology, in order to prepare astronauts for advanced mission specific training. Significant focus is given to skills in areas relevant to future missions, such as scientific decision-making, working with a remotely located science team, and efficient documentation. For this reason, although portions of the course are taught in classrooms, developing independent field skills in analogue geological environments is a key part of the training. Classroom and field lessons are tightly interwoven in the course structure with a time separation often of only hours between being introduced to a concept in the classroom and seeing it in the field. The course forms part of the basic and pre-assignment training for European astronauts and is open to trainees from all other agencies. PANGAEA has been running since 2016, with participants including ESA and NASA astronauts, and Roscosmos cosmonauts, as well as mission designers, operations personnel and engineers. The primary field sites selected for the course are Permo-Triassic sedimentary sequences in the Italian Dolomites, impact lithologies in the Ries Crater, Germany, a comprehensive suite of volcanic deposits in Lanzarote, Spain, and anorthosite outcrops in Lofoten, Norway. Each is used as a base to deliver the main learning sessions, respectively: 1) Earth geology, rock recognition and sedimentology on Earth and Mars, 2) Lunar geology and impact cratering, 3) volcanism on Earth, Moon, and Mars, and astrobiology 4) intrusive rocks and lunar primordial crustal evolution. The four sessions are designed to increase trainee autonomy in field geology by including guided or autonomously executed geological traverses and practicing of sampling techniques. Whilst PANGAEA's primary focus is astronaut training, where appropriate and complementary to this training, technologies being developed for future missions are used and tested by the trainees during geological traverses. This provides an opportunity to evaluate the performance of new equipment and software in analogue field environments, whilst also providing trainees with experience using technology that might support future missions.

PANGAEA would not be possible without the significant support offered by local authorities at each field location. We would like to thank Geoparc Bletterbach for its support in accessing Bletterbach Canyon, Ries Krater Museum for its the gracious hosting and use of facilities, and Geopark Ries for its support in accessing locations in Ries Crater. In Lanzarote, we would like to acknowledge the help and support provided by Cabildo Lanzarote and the Geopark of Lanzarote and Archipelago Chinijo, which are supporting PANGAEA through a specific collaboration agreement with ESA. We would also like to thank the Timanfaya National Park, Centros Turisticos and Casa de los Volcanes, which enabled us to access essential field sites. Thanks also to Dr. Ana Zelia Miller from IRNAS-CSIC of Sevilla for the support in designing the geobiological sampling methods and objectives. Our gratitude goes also to all the ESA staff and contractors, interns, and young graduate trainees that have supported the PANGAEA training activities over the years. A special thank you to Prof. Stefano Debei from CISAS-University of Padova, in remembrance of his kin support for the first implementation of the training in 2016. We are grateful to Professor James W. Head III and another anonymous reviewer for their insightful feedback and inspiring comments that improved the paper and helped further fuel our desire to continue to develop and improve PANGAEA in the future.

Peer reviewed