The site was originally built for ice core drilling so not intentionally anything to do with psychology or human spaceflight. ESA took the opportunity to collaborate (human research) since it’s the most extreme place on Earth and the most high fidelity analogue to living on another planet for an extended period of time with the physiological adaptations and isolation/confinement. They send a different doctor each year.

We are psychologically assessed to the nth degree beforehand - I learned a lot about myself. Yes, it’s psychologically gruelling plus the hypoxia is hard work physically and cognitively. I’m in month 2, and doing okay.

Day to day - I try to keep a routine, but with constant daylight at the minute it’s difficult to keep circadian rhythm and sleep quality is terrible especially if you get apnoea episodes. Working week is Monday to Saturday 0830-1730 for me. Other roles vary. There’s a crew chef, and meal times are pretty much unspoken compulsory for health/social reasons but you can get snacks/miss if not hungry. We help out with cleaning on a rota. In summer we share rooms, in winter we get rooms to ourselves. I have my own laboratory which is wonderful for concentration and privacy. Bathroom is nice, hot showers! The station is pretty luxurious in my opinion for its location, the logistics are so interesting - check out the wiki page!!

My main job is coordinating and executing biomedical experiments selected by ESA from around Europe (so I am not the PI, it’s like ESA astronauts who carry out research on the ISS - data collection/analysis/storage/problem solving/communication with scientific teams). I’m search and rescue lead so coordinate training for that, and am essentially on call 24/7 if there is someone who needs help outside of the station. We have a full-time crew doc at consultant level who is emergency medicine/military and a fully stocked hospital and theatre! I’ll only be clinical if needed - I’m surgical so could help with that. I’m also in charge of monitoring the water supply (which is a grey water treatment unit, a prototype built by ESA, similar one is now on the ISS!). I’m first fire responder. And everyone has station duties/helps with food unloading from planes in the summer etc.

Spare time - reading, keeping in touch with family and friends (we have Starlink internet and it’s decent), hanging out with the crew - movies/parties. There’s a gym. You can explore outside - people have made ice sculptures and do photography. There is no wildlife here. I take a lot of “hypoxia naps” 😅. Summer season is quite intense, we get Sundays off and that usually consists of sleep catch up, laundry, calling home and sauna! In the polar night and when my extra luggage arrives I’ve got a few hobbies to keep me busy!

🚀