From November 22 to 28, a team of seven people of different nationalities will be isolated in Gruta do Natal, on Terceira Island, replicating the lunar environment.

This is the first mission of the CAMões project - Caving Analog Mission for Ocean, Earth and Space Exploration - which will allow the Azores to become a "test bed" for astronauts from all over the world.

The project is promoted by the Os Montanheiros Association and INESC TEC - Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science.

Ana Pires, a researcher at INESC TEC, highlights the cave's natural structure, which is made up of lava tubes: "Astronauts from various space agencies such as ESA and NASA have been looking for this type of structure and setting to carry out their planetary geology training, because there are similarities with the lava tubes found on Mars  and the Moon. It is therefore important to test their geotechnical stability to see if it is possible to make these structures a base camp for future space missions to protect astronauts from radiation, for example."

This is the first mission of its kind carried out in Portugal and the expectation is that, by 2024, the Gruta do Natal will be a new, reliable and validated site for similar missions. To make this happen, after this inaugural mission, the CAMões project will allow teams from the national and international community to take part in future missions.

Over seven days and six nights, the crew will be the first to spend the night in this environment.

Originally from five countries, they speak eight languages and represent more than 11 areas. Taking advantage of the cave's unique characteristics and biodiversity as a scientific and research context, they will carry out studies in various sectors, training, technology tests, data collection, among other scientific activities.

Outside, a team of specialists in speleology, volcanism, microbiology, geochemistry and space medicine will act as "mission control". In addition, a multidisciplinary medical team will be always available, volunteering for the project.

"This is a major initiative that demonstrates the country's potential, not only in terms of natural and geological resources, with high levels of fidelity, but also in terms of the capacity of our institutions, the quality of our researchers, and the difference we can make when we collaborate in a network at the highest level," believes João Claro, INESC TEC's CEO, stressing that "this will be a milestone in Portugal's positioning in this area".

The project brings together several national and international partners and has a strong pedagogical component, with a special focus on STEAM, where the Ciência Viva and ESERO programs play an important role in taking this mission to schools.