Authors: Amy Wang, Remote Mission Coordinator, UMIC; Chris Yuan, Founder, UMIC Contributor: Calla Raats, Transformational Leader and Educator Exploring a New Model for Future Space Missions What happens when students and researchers on opposite sides of the world work together to operate a simulated lunar habitat? In a recent multinational mission simulation, teams in China and Australia collaborated remotely to test the operation of the UMIC (Underwater Modular Interplanetary Community) Lunar Farm. The project explored how future lunar and Martian settlements might be managed through a combination of life support systems, robotics, and remote mission control. The experiment formed part of the Space Mission Commons initiative, an effort to investigate how small, distributed research facilities can contribute to a global network of space mission simulations and educational opportunities.  Researchers and students collaborated across continents through real-time video communications during the remote mission simulation. A Lunar Habitat in the Heart of a City Most lunar and planetary analogue stations are located in remote deserts, volcanic regions, or polar environments. While these locations provide realistic terrain, they are often expensive to operate and difficult to access.The UMIC Underwater Lunar Farm takes a different approach. Located within an urban environment in China, the facility is designed to support remote access and operation while simulating key aspects of a future extraterrestrial habitat. At its core is an intelligent biosphere system intended to explore how self-sustaining communities might function beyond Earth. The project focuses on three primary research areas:
 The UMIC Underwater Lunar Farm provides a unique urban testbed for future space habitat research and remote mission operations. Inside the UMIC Lunar Farm The facility is surrounded by approximately 800 litres of water and incorporates several interconnected systems designed to simulate aspects of a lunar settlement. These include:
Unlike traditional analogue habitats, UMIC's urban location allows researchers and students to participate remotely, creating opportunities for international collaboration without requiring travel to isolated locations.  The UMIC facility combines biological systems, robotics, and habitat technologies within a compact urban analogue environment. Connecting Australia and China
The remote mission linked teams in Chengdu, China, and Sydney, Australia. Conducted in collaboration between UMIC and Thomas Hassall Anglican College, the experiment combined scientific research with educational engagement. Students and researchers worked together to simulate the type of multinational coordination that may become routine during future lunar and Martian missions. From Sea to Space: How One Philippine Project Links Reef Restoration with Future Space Living26/4/2026
Author: Chris Yuan:Founder, UMIC project/Planet Expedition Commanders Academy (PECA); InnovaSpace advisory group On the coast of the Philippines, a small but unusual project is asking a bold question: could the ocean help humanity prepare for life beyond Earth? Known as the Star Sea Alliance (SSA), the initiative describes its journey as From Sea to Space, combining marine restoration, underwater training, habitat experiments and community education. What began with artificial reef construction has grown into a broader vision: using underwater environments to explore how people might one day live and work in extreme conditions beyond Earth.  Building from the Seabed Up The project’s early work focused on artificial reefs and marine habitat support along the Zamboanguita coast. Artificial reefs can help create shelter for marine life, support coral growth and strengthen damaged ecosystems.For SSA, those reef structures also became something more. Working underwater demands careful planning, teamwork, equipment management and adaptation to a hostile environment, many of the same pressures faced in space operations. SSA refers to this evolving concept as Space Reef: marine ecological engineering that supports life in the sea today while helping inspire modular habitats for tomorrow.  Why Train Underwater?
Space agencies have long used water for astronaut training because it can simulate aspects of weightlessness and restricted movement. SSA builds on that idea with diver-based missions, underwater construction exercises and habitat experiments. The group’s training model, described as an Underwater Space Graded Training System, uses diving tasks to simulate teamwork, movement, repair work and maintenance in extreme environments. In these conditions, every tool matters, communication becomes more important, and even simple tasks require patience and precision. It is not space, but it can be a valuable classroom for some of space’s challenges. Authors:Evelyne Wang: Ninth-grader student at Nord Anglia International School & junior researcher at UMIC's Underwater Space City  Evelyne Wang: In December 2025, I participated in UMIC’s first indoor underwater “Lunar Farm” remotely operated vehicle (ROV) mission. In early February 2026, under the guidance of Antonio P. Yocol, Head of the Offshore Resources Management Department of Zamboanguita City, Philippines, and UMIC Commander Chris Yuan, I completed a six-day scuba diving training programme followed by a two-day artificial reef restoration and coral planting project in the Philippine Sea. The mission focused on restoring coral communities damaged by typhoons while contributing to the rebuilding of the seabed ecosystem. Yet this project was designed to explore something more than ecological restoration alone. Unlike conventional artificial reef deployments, this mission also functioned as a simulated lunar habitat construction exercise.  Heavy structures, weightless choreography Structure and Construction: The artificial reef consisted of eighteen 4-metre concrete pillars, each weighing approximately 850 kilograms. These pillars were lowered from the ship by crane. On the seabed, divers operated without heavy machinery. Movement and positioning depended entirely on buoyancy bags, counterweights, and carefully coordinated underwater teamwork. Precision and control became far more important than brute force.  Precision replaces machinery In water, an object’s mass remains constant, but its effective weight is reduced by buoyancy. This physical principle provides an intriguing comparison with lunar construction.
Author: Mary UpritchardInnovaSpace Admin Director & Space Fan! When scrolling through the endless nonsense recently that appears on Facebook, I came across a rare post of interest detailing the remarkable work of French geologist Michel Siffre, who died a year ago this Sunday (24 August 2024), aged 85 years. In 1972, Siffre conducted an extraordinary isolation experiment in which he lived alone for 180 days in a cave 440 feet underground. He had no sunlight, no clock, and no contact with any other person, having only basic supplies, a sleeping bag, and instruments for recording his activities and observations. His aim was to study how the human mind and body behave when deprived of all natural time cues. The results of this work, now more than 50 years old, continue to be relevant for research into human endurance, circadian rhythms, and the psychological effects of extreme isolation. They are also especially relevant for human space exploration, with space agencies considering the realities of sending people to live for months, or even years, in sealed environments on the Moon or Mars.  Michel Siffre in Midnight Cave, 1972, during his six-month underground isolation experiment. Image credit: Michel Siffre / CNRS Archives Initially, Siffre relied on hunger and fatigue to regulate his days, but within weeks it was observed that his perception of time changed. He often believed a day had passed when nearly two had gone by. His body abandoned the 24-hour cycle, adopting a 36-hour waking period followed by 12 hours of sleep. Scientists monitoring the experiment saw this as evidence that humans have an internal clock that can operate independently of the Sun. The changes, however, came with cognitive and psychological costs, like hallucinations, difficulty speaking, memory lapses, and a need to create artificial social interaction, such as talking to insects or to himself. By the time the experiment ended, Siffre believed only 151 days had passed, rather than the actual 180 days. Translating from Cave Walls to Space Frontiers: Lessons for Life Beyond Earth Image credit: author Life Without a Sunrise - Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) see 16 sunrises every Earth day. This constant cycling of light and dark is managed by strict schedules, carefully calibrated lighting systems, and oversight by mission control, ensuring that body clocks remain aligned with a 24-hour rhythm. Without such controls, circadian rhythms can rapidly drift, affecting alertness, decision-making, and even physical health.
StarG2025 — A Global Collaborative Platform for Space Technology and Citizen Science (part 1)27/5/2025
Author: Chris YuanFounder: UMIC project/Planet Expedition Commanders Academy (PECA); InnovaSpace advisory group On April 6, 2025, the first field mission of the StarG2025 project was launched at the giant panda habitat in Gengda, Wolong District, Sichuan, China. Using a concealed infrared thermal imaging wildlife detection vehicle remotely controlled by satellite navigation and IoT, this pioneering mission marked the beginning of a new chapter in global citizen science and space-tech interaction.  What is StarG2025? StarG2025 is a global collaborative and interactive platform exploring how space technology can serve Earth — and how Earth’s ecosystems can support future space missions. Guided by the PECA 5S values, StarG2025 integrates science, ecology, economy, and education to build a sustainable, interplanetary future. PECA 5S Values:
Why "StarG"?
Our Core Projects: UMIC (Ursa Minor Interstellar Citizens): Since 2021, the world’s first private underwater low-gravity simulation and ecological habitat training platform, for simulated astronaut training, robotic capsules, and underwater Mars farms. MRD (Mars Recon Dog): An AI- and FPV-enabled autonomous robot for ecological monitoring and space terrain simulation. Space Whale: A bionic underwater drone using AI and IoT to monitor whales, analyze ocean health, and enable global remote collaboration. Near-Space Vehicles: Stratospheric airships and gliders supporting meteorological monitoring and educational launches. In 2025, StarG2025 will deploy more remote missions — from mountains to oceans to underwater cities. As a citizen scientist, you could be operating equipment, monitoring wildlife, and contributing to global conservation and space readiness. Join the Movement!
You are not just watching the future — you are helping build it! Author: Chris YuanFounder: UMIC project/Planet Expedition Commanders Academy (PECA); InnovaSpace advisory group  The Ursa Minor Interstellar City (UMIC) project was born out of the need to create accessible and sustainable space simulation environments on Earth. Inspired by NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) and NEEMO underwater project, as well as ESA’s CAVES programme, UMIC reimagines these concepts to provide affordable, eco-friendly simulations that bring space exploration closer to ordinary people, considering the following scientific principles:
 Performing CPR underwater | Image ©: Chris Yuan A Journey of Innovation In 2020, collaboration with Professor Thais Russomano on the Evetts-Russomano (ER) CPR method sparked the idea for UMIC’s Underwater Space City. Over four years, UMIC has developed the complete underwater space city elements: EVA training spacecraft, animal spacecraft, lunar commuter motorcycle, space farm, the world's largest astronaut helmet, and the smallest underwater cafe - Galaxy Cat Cafe (see videos below). We can even provide astronauts with a cup of hot coffee underwater, and broadcast space education for young people around the world, truly realizing the popularization of space exploration education. Mission and Impact UMIC’s goal is to train commercial astronauts to thrive in space and on alien surfaces while establishing ecological, multi-species habitats. By fostering collaboration and resilience, it not only advances humanity’s path to becoming a multi-planetary species but also strengthens our ability to protect Earth and preserve its ecosystems
The webinar, organised by InnovaSpace Director Prof Thais Russomano, was presented by 4 students from the Remote Medicine iBSc program, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, and in association with the MVA (Moon Village Association). The focus of the event was on one of the most critical aspects of future lunar habitation: human health. Join the student panel as they explore the unique environment of the Moon, the history of its human exploration from NASA Apollo Mission first steps to future Artemis plans, its potential impact on human physical health and mental well-being, Moon research and Earth-based space analogues, and research limitations and gaps in the knowledge. Congratulations to the presenters - Manvi Bhatt, Nareh Ghazarians, Diya Raj Yajaman, & Elvyn Vijayanathan - and good luck with your future careers. Author: Tomas DucaiBiology (microbiology/genetics) graduate, Master's student Molecular Biology, University of Vienna - & Space enthusiast!  Inclusion and Accessibility have been much discussed terms for years. Institutions are working on numerous fronts and in numerous areas of everyday life to implement them in society. My name is Tomas Ducai, I am 24 years old, an active wheelchair user and am confronted with the more or less successful effects of the implementation of the above terms on a daily basis. As a citizen of the city of Vienna, I enjoy the attitude to life in a city that has been described as the "most livable" in the world several times in a row - I can only confirm this from the position of an active wheelchair user. The fact that cities live and implement the credo of inclusion and accessibility may not sound entirely unusual - but the fact that these attributes also apply to organizations in the space sciences is quite extraordinary, innovative and gives physically disabled people with an interest in space, like me, hope to take part in projects in this area. I achieved this in March of this year when I took part in a simulated space mission in the so-called analog space habitat LunAres as the first wheelchair-using analog para-astronaut.
Author: InnovaSpace TeamWorking towards a globally inclusive and diverse network of space professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, students & enthusiasts - Space Without Borders  Time to catch-up with our colleague from the east, Chris Yuan, who very enthusiastically and capably established the Ursa Minor project in China, under the umbrella of the Planetary Expedition Commander Academy (PECA). It involves the development of new technologies and innovative training courses to encourage and inspire a future generation of space science researchers and astronauts. As previously reported in 2022, Chris and his students learned how to perform the Evetts-Russomano CPR technique underwater on a manikin while diving, as the water simulates the weightlessness that is present in microgravity. This practice now forms part of a larger course, the Ursa Minor Interstellar Expedition Program, giving the opportunity for 12- to 18-year-olds to participate in an underwater space science training camp.
Author: Tomas DucaiBiology (microbiology/genetics) graduate, University of Vienna - Space (medicine) enthusiast  "For most people, this is as close to being an astronaut, as you’ll ever get. It’s leaving planet Earth behind and entering an alien world.“ - Mary Frances Emmons - Editor-in-chief Scuba Diving, Sport Diver & The Undersea Journal magazines Mary Frances Emmons puts into words the indescribable atmosphere of scuba diving in which the boundaries become blurred between Earth and the sky above, or at least, to be more precise, the depths of space. It is this mixture of feelings that I want to experience – diving into the element of water, which is essential for life and where physical disabilities may not matter. I have been active in the world of space exploration for over a year now and am truly interested in promoting inclusion in the space sciences and analog space missions. I have been lucky enough to meet a lot of respected people and professionals doing amazing work with great passion in their respective fields, and they have also been keen to help and support me to realize my dreams A particular person who has shaped my dreams in concrete terms is Slovakia’s one and only aquanaut (underwater analog astronaut) and Chief Scientific Officer of the Hydronaut Project (unique underwater lab serving as a research facility for survival training in limited/extreme environments) - Miroslav Rozložník. Miro is an experienced scuba-dive instructor, who I met in Prague at an international analog astronaut community event. He offered to help me experience the unique underwater atmosphere through introducing me to the world of scuba-diving, a truly cherished offer that I gratefully accepted! At the same time, I knew that having a basic introduction to scuba diving may also enhance my chances of being selected as one of the three analog parastronauts for upcoming analog missions at the LunAres analog research station in Poland, especially if underwater mission experiments are being considered. |
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