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Astronauts go to the ends of the Earth to prepare for the isolation and dangers of space.

And for one group of Esa astronauts, that means spending days navigating dark, damp caves in Italy.

Esa trainers and caving specialists recently went underground in Sardinia to set the scene for space-like astronaut training later this summer, and claim clambering down to a cave is similar to a spacewalk.

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Caves - short for Cooperative Adventure for Valuing and Exercising human behaviour and performance Skills - offers astronauts, trainers and planners a chance to test space-like procedures while exploring uncharted caverns in new environments

'Caves' - short for Cooperative Adventure for Valuing and Exercising human behaviour and performance Skills - helps astronauts test space-like procedures while exploring uncharted caverns.

For instance, clambering down to basecamp hundreds of metres below the surface using safety tethers is similar to conducting a spacewalk.

In space, an object can quickly float away and be lost forever. Likewise, in caving, dropped equipment can be lost forever in crevices or holes.

When passing equipment, both cavers and astronauts must make sure the recipient has grasped the item before the first person lets go.

'Caves is an exploration mission,' explained Caves exploration instructor Francesco Sauro, 'and this year will be more difficult as the astronauts venture further from basecamp'

Astronauts train for space walks by going climbing in caves

'Caves is an exploration mission,' explained Caves exploration instructor Francesco Sauro, 'and this year will be more difficult as the astronauts venture further from basecamp.'

For the first time the trainees will set up an outpost more than 3.1 miles (5 km) from basecamp to spend the night, following directions and maps drawn by 'cavenauts' from previous years.

'It will be interesting to see how they manage the further exploration,' said Mr Francesco.

'As they distance themselves from basecamp it will get more challenging and I am curious to see how far they can go.'

For the first time, trainees will set up an outpost more than 3.1 miles (5 km) from basecamp to spend the night, following directions and maps drawn by 'cavenauts' from previous years

On the left Esa's Caves team prepares the 2014 underground astronaut training course. Astronauts (right) will use Earth-training programmes such as this to prepare for space

As for any space mission, science is a priority so the astronauts will be measuring carbon dioxide and radon levels as well as taking microbiological samples of the life they encounter.

New techniques will be put to the test using apps developed by the trainers at the European Astronaut Centre that could be used on the International Space Station in the near future.

The cavenauts will be testing exciting new technology for cavers as well.

A system combining 3D cameras, laser mapping and a wearable computer offers the potential to map uncharted areas in real time and build a detailed 3D map for later use.

'What we are doing will be very interesting and useful for cavers all over the world,' added Mr Francesco.

The countdown to blast-off for Major Tim Peake has included a week in an underground cave and 12 days on the bottom of the sea