Faculty of Applied Mathematics

Participants in the simulated space mission at the LunAres research base have completed their participation in the project. Now they are sharing their experiences from the stay in an isolated space and presenting the first conclusions from the research, in which the Silesian University of Technology also participated. 

Five participants "returned to Earth" after two weeks spent in the isolated research base in Piła. The work carried out during the project was aimed at studying the effects of isolation on the human psyche. These activities are related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic and its consequences.

The mission was held under the patronage of the Rector of the Silesian University of Technology Prof. Arkadiusz Mężyk and the Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski. One of the participants staying in the simulated space station was Wiktoria Dziaduła, a student of the Faculty of Architecture. As part of her master's thesis, conducted under the supervision of Prof. Klaudiusz Fross, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, she researched the functioning of this type of facilities, which will serve to create guidelines for their design.

Moreover, during the mission, research was conducted by scientists from the Silesian University of Technology within the framework of biomedical engineering, which consisted of checking the physical activity of analogue astronauts during their stay in LunAres. 

Leszek Orzechowski, LunAres director, and Wiktoria Dziaduła in Dzień dobry TVN (national TV show) talked about their experiences of staying in isolation and the work carried out, as well as re-adaptation to the outside world after the mission. 

- We had a very detailed daily schedule, practically from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., including research and, of course, a very important factor, which is daily exercise and training. Spacewalks also required a lot of preparation - just getting dressed in a spacesuit took an hour," recalls Wiktoria Dziaduła. 

Leszek Orzechowski discussed the first conclusions from research on isolation: - It's good to have a daily plan that completely organises how we live in our little habitat, which is, for example, our homes. Physical activity is very important - this is what the Silesian University of Technology studied, i.e. how physical activity changes in lockdown.

The Silesian University of Technology's participation in the project involves addressing issues from the space technology and aerospace sectors. Innovative research and development of advanced technologies prove unusual cooperation of the University scientists with the socio-economic environment, based on the exchange of knowledge and experience.