NASA may help trapped Chilean miners

Chilean officials have contacted NASA to see if the U.S. space agency can help with the rescue of 33 miners trapped 700 meters underground near the northern Chilean city of Copiapo.

"Chilean health officials reached out to us through the State Department, and they were put in touch with our life sciences program," said John Yembrick, a NASA spokesman. "We do not know as yet what precisely they are asking for, but they have reached out to us and we are going to help them in whatever way we can."

The miners were trapped nearly three weeks ago when a shaft collapsed in a copper and gold mine. Rescue workers only made contact with the miners on Sunday. The miners reported that they are all alive and well.

Rescue workers are using two narrow drill holes to communicate with the miners and provide them with food and other supplies. The miners are passing along messages to loved ones.

Like us on Facebook

Chilean officials said that engineers are preparing to drill a rescue tunnel, 62 centimeters wide. This work could take up to four months because of the depth and the instability of the mine.

According to published reports, the miners have not yet been told of the lengthy time they may have to spend trapped and isolated.

NASA's Yembrick speculated that Chilean health officials desire the space agency's expertise in caring for the physical and mental health of astronauts isolated for long periods of time.

NASA's Space Life Sciences program, according to its website, seeks to optimize human health and productivity for space exploration. The program deals with nutrition, behavioral health, medical operations, habitability and environmental factors, among other things.

NASA's methods may be directly applicable to assisting the trapped miners, Yembrick said.