A student led
analogue
space mission
Asclepios is an international non-profit with the goal of enabling analogue space missions, offered exclusively by students for students.
The future astronauts training beneath the Swiss Alps
A documentary short on the fortress, the crew and the fourteen days underground.
Watch the film
Our missions
Flight log · 2021—2026
Asclepios VICompleted2026
WBA EurohabCompleted2025
Asclepios VCompleted2025
Asclepios IVCompleted2024
Asclepios IIICompleted2023
Asclepios IICompleted2022
Asclepios ICompleted2021
From Swiss news to international science press, Asclepios has been featured in over 200 publications across 6 languages — a testament to our commitment to research and education.
Browse coverage
About the project
Created in August 2019 as an EPFL Space@yourService project, Asclepios aims at organising a student-led space mission simulating a mission to another celestial body. It is the largest initiative worldwide of a space analog mission made by students, for students in collaboration with academic institutions, research labs, and industrial partners. Asclepios is now an independent association recognised by EPFL.
Accordingly, the project is open to any student around the world who is passionate about space and feel ready to commit to this adventure! After the success of our previous six missions, we are ready to launch our seventh mission!
Claude Nicollier is a former ESA astronaut and a current EPFL professor. He is a member of the Swiss Space Centre and has been a mentor of the Asclepios astronaut team since the beginning of the project.
Asclepios VI complete. Seven is next.
Asclepios returned to Sasso San Gottardo with ten analogue astronauts from around the world to execute its sixth mission. They spent over 2 weeks in isolation with the Mission Control Centre overseeing the entire operation. The mission brought exciting new features, including duel-crew schedules (hot bunking), and Asclepios VI also brought forward a new association structure. Now we are preparing for Asclepios VII!
Key dates
Our teams
Officer applications open soon
Applications for officer positions on the Asclepios VII mission will begin soon. Open to any student anywhere in the world.
Why do we ask for support? Asclepios is entirely funded by donations and is committed to offering educational and scientific opportunities for free. Our astronaut program selects and trains students for no fee, making it accessible to every student that gets selected. Additionally, the experiments are integrated and performed free of charge for our scientific collaborators. The project is entirely supported by sponsorships, donations and crowdfunding. Thank to you all for making this project a reality!
AsclepiosCast
Embark on an adventure with our weekly podcast to explore the world of analog space missions and learn more about Asclepios!
In our podcast, discover the mission through the eyes of our analog astronauts, team members, collaborators, scientists and industry professionals!