A Filipino engineer analog astronaut from Adamson University is making headlines after being selected to join an international analog astronaut mission in Poland.
In a Facebook post, Adamson University announced that Dr. Mark Angelo C. Purio, head of the Space Technologies and Applications Research Laboratory (STARLab) and an associate professor at the university’s Electronics Engineering Department, will be part of an international crew conducting research that supports future lunar and Martian exploration.
Purio, the country’s fourth analog astronaut and the Philippines’ first engineer analog astronaut, will represent both the university and the nation in the LunAres Analog Astronaut Mission M4.26 in Poland.
“During the mission, he will also contribute to Adobo4Space, a collaborative initiative with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), and the University of the Philippines Diliman Department of Food Science and Nutrition—bringing Filipino innovation, and even Filipino flavors, to space research,” Adamson University said in a statement.
LunAres Research Station Director Leszek Orzechowski explained that an analog mission is “a research method focused on investigating one or several aspects of crewed space missions using real-life conditions on Earth as an analogue to off-world scenarios.”
The research station added that participation in such missions is open to a wide range of individuals, including enthusiasts, science journalists, designers, and engineers.
“This remarkable milestone reflects Adamson University’s commitment to research, innovation, and global engagement, inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and space explorers,” the university said.
The Philippines’ first analog astronaut is Kristine Jane Atienza, followed by Dr. Marvic Alcantara. Both took part in the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) mission in 2024.
Florence Pauline Basubas is the third Filipina analog astronaut, according to the Philippine Space Agency. She is also a space biology researcher who joined a parabolic flight mission in the United States in 2024. — Photo from Adamson University
