For the following six weeks, their surrogate mother had to stay close to the birds, living outside with them during the day and sneaking away for a few hours each night. Friends brought her food.

“Even when I went to the restroom for a few minutes, they were screaming loudly,” she says.

“It was a really very intense time. I was constantly with them and if you don’t do that they get totally mentally disturbed and become neurotic.”

As soon as the geese were a few days old, Meyer-Brandis began their astronaut training – encouraging them to walk in a V-shape, the formation used to tow Godwin’s chariot.

When they grew bigger and faster, she rode a lunar-bike and took them on mini-expeditions into the mountains for high altitude training.

The birds are currently living in a fake lunar landscape, to help them to become accustomed to their imaginary future habitat.

The imprinting lasts a lifetime, so they will always recognise Meyer-Brandis as their mother.

“The group has also imprinted on each other and they are happy together,” she says.

“When I go there now, it takes a little while to get close again and then they follow me everywhere.

“They are also like guards and they protect me from people who come too close.

“In spring, maybe they will lay eggs and we could have a moon goose colony.”

REPUBLIC of the Moon opens at FACT on Friday, and runs until February 26.