Russians have returned from the "Moon": a year-long experiment simulating a flight to Earth's natural satellite has concluded.

The SIRIUS-23 experiment, which simulated a year-long mission to the Moon, has concluded, as reported by the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences. On November 14, 2023, six "cosmonauts" from Russia and Belarus entered the module, and after 366 days, they emerged.

The module was designed to closely replicate the conditions of a real (yet to be constructed) orbital station orbiting the Moon, as well as another station located on the Moon itself. The SIRIUS projects (Scientific International Research in Unique Terrestrial Station) aim to understand how humans cope with isolation, whether they can maintain their composure, and how they interact with one another. This time, the simulation was a complete imitation of a real flight, utilizing virtual reality tools to enhance the experience, making it feel as though they truly traveled to the Moon.

The crew trained to work alongside a humanoid robot, "completed" a lunar flyby, "searched" for a landing site, "landed," and took five walks on the lunar surface. In the meantime, they received four transport ships carrying essential supplies and conducted 70 scientific experiments.

Among the experiments were some unusual tasks. For instance, the "cosmonauts" were asked to stay awake for 36 hours, a scenario that could occur in space during an emergency. They managed to do it, but it was reportedly quite challenging.

With such details being practiced on simulators, it suggests that real flights are on the horizon. Looking at the Moon at night, it's hard to believe that humans will return there someday. However, it seems that day is approaching fast!