December 4, 2024
By Chloe Arrington

Graduate student Lillian Tso, ME 2023, was selected as an analog astronaut for the Asclepios IV mission, a training exercise that simulated a space crew deployed to the moon.

The Asclepios project is a program of analog missions designed by students for students under the mentorship of trained professionals, which began in 2019.

The two-week exercise occurred earlier this year at the Sasso San Gottardo Museum in Switzerland, a decommissioned war fortress near the Gotthard Pass, where the crew remained underground for the entire exercise simulating life at the lunar South Pole.

Tso's participation was funded partly by a $1,000 Travel Award from the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. She was one of five students who received a travel award for the semester. 

The crew prepared by completing nearly 12 months of intense training, including backpacking in the Andorra mountains, firefighting drills, and zero-g parabolic flight training. Tso was selected as Commander of her mission and was the only female analog astronaut in the crew. During the exercise, Tso and crew had the opportunity to control bomb-diffusing robots, go on simulated extravehicular activities, and conduct various science experiments.

"I am so grateful for the unforgettable memories, incredible experiences, and new friendships that I made in the past year," said Tso when reflecting on the experience.

Tso is currently earning her master's degree in mechanical engineering online from the Woodruff School while working as a DfX engineer for Axiom Space in Houston, Texas.