Antarctica is one of the coldest, emptyest and most dangerous places on Earth. The continent covers an area of about 14 million square kilometers and is mostly covered with thick layers of ice. But this icy desert has the potential to prove what might happen in a farther world.
▲ Mary Bird's Land in Antarctica from the air. Image courtesy of NASA
Scientists believe that Antarctica's extreme conditions and special landscapes are similar to those faced by future astronauts on missions to the moon and Mars, so they recruited two British explorers to observe human adaptability when pushed to the limits, ultimately generating genomic, physiological, psychological, and environmental data models for space exploration.
▲ Image courtesy of Chasing the Light
Both explorers have a rich adventure background and an extraordinary past.
Justin Packshaw, 57, has been an officer for eight years and has represented Britain in regattas, making several trips to the Arctic and Antarctic and summiting Mount Everest.
Born in 1987, Jamie Facer Childs rowed across the Indian Ocean in 2007 and was part of the British team trekking across Antarctica in 2017 and currently works in the Intensive Care Unit at University College Hospital London.
They will hike 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) in 80 days. The long trek began three weeks ago, with each person towing 200 kilograms of equipment and supplies in a sleigh, without mechanical assistance, relying entirely on manpower and kites to tow the sled, battling changing wind speeds and temperatures.
At its worst, winds reach speeds of 111 kilometers per hour and temperatures are only minus 56 degrees Celsius.
To stay energized, they consume 8,000 calories a day, which is equivalent to eating 76 bananas a day.
A total of 4,000 kilometers of journeys from one end of the coast to the other, they pass through Antarctica, Hercules Inlet and Union Glacier.
▲ Roadmap. Image courtesy of Chasing the Light
They were meant to pass through the "inaccessible pole"—so called because it was the most central and isolated part of the continent, difficult to access from any direction. But as can be seen from the roadmap, they decided to turn because there were not enough food reserves.
The expedition is part of the Chasing the Light mission. The two explorers, who are working with NASA and Stanford University, are subjected to a series of tests twice a week, where samples of saliva, blood, urine and feces are stored; they also wear smartwatches to keep an eye on their vital signs, stress levels and sleep quality.
▲ Body test. Image courtesy of Chasing the Light
NASA is also testing the vision of two explorers, studying the relationship between the physical stimuli someone experiences and the sensations they produce. This will help better understand what happened on the moon in 1971, when astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell decided to abandon investigating a large crater that appeared to be 1.6 kilometers away, but was actually only about 15 meters away.
NASA's Dr. Katherine Rahill said changes in the topographic depth of the lunar surface could be confusing for astronauts, while Antarctica's vast white landscape presents explorers with similar challenges.
At the same time, the effects of extended space travel on astronauts are also being studied, as Antarctica's extreme environment has similar stressors to the cold depths of space, including closure, isolation, monotony, lack of privacy, and cycles of light and shade. On the International Space Station, astronauts see 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours of Earth Day.
Earlier this year, there was a similar study of scientists stationed at the Antarctic Remote Research Station, and the most significant change in the subjects was that positive emotions such as satisfaction, enthusiasm and awe continued to decline from the beginning of the mission to completion, and in the three weeks so far, both explorers have enjoyed it, "We have been taking risks, we are enjoying every moment".
In addition to monitoring their own conditions, they are commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA) to collect environmental data, including radiation levels, ice conditions, wind speeds and directions on the surface, and temperature gradients on the surface. This is not only for future space exploration, but also to ensure that policymakers understand the facts of the climate crisis.
▲ Environmental monitoring. Image courtesy of Chasing the Light
It's an "old-school" adventure that relies entirely on physical and mental strength. Justin Packshaw once said via satellite phone that "it was really impressive to see Mother Nature stretch her strength here".
The two explorers hope to complete their journey by early February next year. The trip was sponsored by HP and researched by NASA, ESA, Stanford University, and the University of Central Florida, and statistics and progress can be tracked on Chasing the Light's website.
▲ References:
1. Official website:
https://www.chasingthelight2021.com/
2.https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/59525896
3.https://gizmodo.com/space-agencies-are-tracking-two-explorers-en-route-to-a-1848174627
4.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10279521/NASA-monitoring-two-British-adventurers-attempt-trek-Antarctic.html