If all goes well, the first of 33 Chilean miners trapped underground will soon see the surface for the first time in more than two months. During a televised press conference on 12 October, Chilean mining minister Laurence Golborne said that rescuers would begin work that day and continue around the clock for the next 48 hours to bring the men up.

To reach the surface, the miners will ride a 13 foot-long capsule that was designed with help from a US agency better known for working far above ground than underneath it: NASA.

Clinton Cragg—a NASA engineer who was part of a four-man team sent to Chile after the mine’s collapse on 5 August—worked with 20 other NASA engineers to provide 75 suggested design requirements for the rescue capsule.

“One thing I’ll take away from this is that our engineers have the skills to do all sorts of things,” says Cragg.

The team’s suggestions included Teflon siding to protect against friction during the capsule’s trek up and down the shaft, which is expected to take around 30 minutes. Additionally, the engineers suggested a mesh roof to allow airflow but protect against falling rocks and a requirement that the capsule be self-aligning and able to fit itself back into the borehole since the last miner wouldn’t have any help.

NASA’s medics also had concerns that were addressed in the final design.

“We wanted to guard against fainting,” says Michael Duncan, who led the NASA team that visited Chile.

Cragg’s team suggested a loose harness to hold each miner should they faint during the ascent. At the medical team’s request, they also included suggestions for an oxygen tank, a communications device to speak with doctors topside, and a method to monitor each miner’s vitals.

Most of the suggestions were used in the final Chilean plan for the rescue capsule, Cragg says.

Image: Clinton Cragg discusses design with Chilean engineers.

Credit: NASA