The international project SIRIUS-23, an experiment focused on isolation and simulated spaceflight, takes place in Moscow with the aim of sharpening preparations for future deep-space missions while also advancing Earth sciences. This was conveyed by Viktor Baranov, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and chair of the project’s work program committee, during the opening ceremony on November 14. A video of the event appeared on the official VK page of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems (IMBP RAS), the organization implementing the project, making the details accessible to researchers worldwide.
In the SIRIUS-23 mission, six volunteers will endure a year-long simulated crewed voyage to the Moon at the institute’s facility. The crew includes Yuri Chebotarev as commander, Anzhelika Parfenova as flight engineer, Ksenia Orlova as flight physician, Ksenia Shishenina and Rustam Zaripov as scientists, and Olga Mastitskaya, a researcher from Belarus, who joins as part of the international collaboration.
Baranov highlighted that more than 150 proposals were submitted to the program’s call for projects, with 53 experiments advancing to the research phase. A notable portion of the work focuses on psychological aspects of long-duration missions, comprising 18 experiments. The scientist noted that findings from this area benefit not only space crews but also people on Earth, especially in times of extended isolation and stress, where parallels with the ongoing pandemic context have been drawn by researchers.
Microbiology also commands significant attention, with 11 studies investigating the microbiome of both participants and their surrounding environment. Additional research covers cellular biology, genetics, medicine, and related fields, creating a broad scientific tapestry around human performance in isolated environments.
Oleg Orlov, head of the SIRIUS-23 project, stressed the international character of the effort. The initiative draws on expertise from multiple countries, including Belarus, India, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Canada, the United States, Italy, and others, illustrating a global cooperative spirit in high-stakes research.
The mission includes a lunar flight simulation that involves candidate landing-site identification, descent operations by four crew members, and remote control of a lunar rover. Throughout the simulation, the team must respond to a range of emergencies modeled after real-world space missions, drawing on experience accumulated aboard the International Space Station.
Recent developments in the project reflect ongoing efforts to broaden the scope of cryogenic sleep research and related safety protocols, which are part of the wider exploration of life-support systems, human factors, and mission resilience in extreme environments. The SIRIUS-23 program stands as a multidisciplinary platform where physiology, psychology, microbiology, and engineering converge to push the boundaries of what is possible in space exploration while advancing scientific knowledge on Earth.