Russia tests first all-female space crew for potential moon mission

Six women will spend eight days in mock spacecraft simulating flight conditions and perform tasks to assess their suitability

A crew of six Russian women have been locked away in a mock spaceship as part of an eight-day experiment to simulate conditions for a potential mission to the moon in 2029.

The experiment, the first of its kind to feature an all-female crew, is designed to "test the psychology and physiology of the female organism," the space institute organising it said. The participants will be let out next Thursday.