Filipino college professor becomes analog astronaut

As the Philippines celebrates Philippine Space Week, a Filipino college professor is making his mark in the field of space exploration as an analog astronaut.

According to Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras” on Friday, Dr. Mark Angelo Purio is among four Filipinos and the only Filipino engineer who has taken part in analog astronaut missions.

Unlike traditional astronauts who travel beyond Earth, analog astronauts participate in simulated space environments and conduct field tests and experiments designed to identify challenges that astronauts may encounter during future missions.

"I found the Lunares Research Station in Poland. They have what they call a hangar, and that hangar is converted into a lunar environment. They put rocks and sand there, and there is also a separate habitat," Purio said in Filipino.

"We also have different tasks. We do solar cell checks or geological sampling. We do these tasks to create protocols that astronauts can use when they are already in space."

According to Purio, he became an analog astronaut because of his friend who was the first analog astronaut from the Philippines.

"After I graduated, I had a friend, Tin, who is our first analog astronaut. She told me, ‘There’s an opportunity like this. You won’t be an astronaut going to space, but you can test and simulate what it’s like to be an astronaut.’ I said, ‘Okay, I’ll apply,'" he shared.

As part of his analog astronaut journey, Purio spent time living in an isolated habitat in Poland. These habitats simulate conditions that may be experienced on the Moon or other planets.

"They also measure our food intake. They conducted medical checkups to see the effects of isolation on astronauts. They also examined our cognitive function, how we think before and after the simulation."

The experience was not easy, but Purio embraced the challenges as this is one of his dreams.

"When I was young, I really enjoyed Math and Science. My father wanted me to become a pilot. Being a pilot is usually associated with becoming an astronaut, so that became my inspiration," he shared.

“You have to trust that if you are capable of doing small things, you can also do big things,” he said. "And we always say this to the Filipino audience: You always have space in space. Space is vast, and there is room for you in space."

Philippine Space Week is observed every August 8 and 9 under Proclamation No. 302. The annual celebration aims to promote Filipinos’ knowledge and interest in space science, astronomy, satellite technology, and other fields related to space.

"This year’s theme is ‘Navigating Tomorrow,’ which reflects our country’s growing presence in space through satellite development and the use of space data. It also recognizes how the space sector contributes to disaster resilience, environmental protection, and agriculture here in the Philippines," said Danielle Canillo, a senior science research specialist at the Philippine Space Agency.

—Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA News