First-Ever Archaeological Survey In Space Carried Out On The ISS | Space

Archaeology and outer space may not sound like they should mix outside of science fiction – but on board the International Space Station (ISS), the first-ever archaeological survey in space has been carried out.

The ISS is the largest and most intensely inhabited space station to exist so far, boasting over 270 visitors from 23 countries since it was launched in 1998. The strangeness of this artificial environment – its isolation, confined spaces, and the influences of microgravity – are unlike anything humans have evolved to experience.

Microgravity in particular introduces new ways of experiencing an environment, as it introduces opportunities to move and work in 360 degrees and to carry out experiments that would be impossible on Earth. But there are limitations too – the low gravity means objects float around if they are not restrained. This means that even the most routine activities that someone will perform on Earth have to be carefully planned out and often require technological interventions to assist.

How do people adapt to living in such odd environments? Over the last two decades, interviews with crew members have provided some insights into how individuals cope with this experience, but interviews cannot capture everything.

In order to understand the nature of this “microsociety in a miniworld”, researchers launched the International Space Station…