NASA astronauts 'moonwalk' in Arizona desert to prepare for Artemis III lunar mission | Trending


NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas turned the Arizona desert in the United States into their practice site to perform four “moonwalk” simulations ahead of the Artemis III mission.

NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas moonwalked over the San Francisco volcanic field north of Arizona. (NASA)
NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas moonwalked over the San Francisco volcanic field north of Arizona. (NASA)

Artemis III Mission

Astronauts from the premier space agency conducted a “moonwalk” in preparation for Artemis III, the first human exploration mission of the moon's south pole region. The 30-day mission will allow astronauts to travel to lunar orbit, where two crew members will land on the surface near the south pole.

NASA has not yet selected two astronauts for this mission, scheduled to launch in September 2026. To prepare for this important milestone, NASA astronauts Rubins and Douglas traveled to the San Francisco volcanic field in northern Arizona and performed a week-long “moonwalk” simulation in May.

The Moon-Like Geology of the Arizona Desert

The scientists chose the Arizona desert as their practice site because it has a geological structure similar to the moon, formed by millions of years of volcanic eruptions. An area on Earth's moon called the Marius Hills geologically resembles the Arizona volcanic field. Like the volcanic field, the Marius Hills are also formed by ancient volcanic eruptions, according to NASA.

According to the US space agency, Earth-based simulations are essential to prepare astronauts for space travel. The “Moonwalk” simulation allows scientists to make geological observations remotely through the astronauts' descriptions.

After the “moonwalk,” the astronauts experimented with various technologies, including augmented reality and light beacons, that could be used during the mission.

According to NASA, the “moonwalk” had to be ended early due to strong winds in the desert. After the exercise, Earth and planetary scientists and the crew gathered at NASA Johnson to assess the simulation via a video.

After landing on the lunar surface, the astronauts will walk on the moon wearing the Axiom space suit, which provides an increased range of motion and flexibility to explore the lunar landscape. During the actual moonwalk, the astronauts are expected to take photographs and videos, survey the geology, and collect samples.

The Artemis III mission will mark humanity's first return to the lunar surface in more than 50 years. Astronauts and crew will travel to Earth and return aboard NASA's Orion spacecraft.


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