Desert Moonwalk! A Look Inside NASA's Arizona Training Mission

Arizona (US): Stepping up preparations for landing of humans on the Moon’s South Pole in 2026, NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas performed four moonwalk simulations to help the space agency get ready for its Artemis III mission. 

The Artemis III mission has an objective to land a spacecraft including two astronauts onboard to Moon’s south pole for the first time. It has been scheduled for a launch in September 2026.

NASA in a statement said that between May 13 and May 22, 2024, Astronauts Rubins and Douglas trudged through northern Arizona’s San Francisco Volcanic Field, a geologically Moon-like destination shaped by millions of years of volcanic eruptions.

“There, they made observations of the soil and rocks around them and collected samples. After the moonwalks, the astronauts tested technology that could be used on Artemis missions, including a heads-up display that uses augmented reality to help with navigation, and lighting beacons that could help guide a crew back to a lunar lander,” space agency said.

Simulation Site resembles of Moon's South Pole region

NASA mentioned that the Arizona simulation site also resembles the Moon’s south polar region in the subtle changes in the size, abundance, and groupings of rocks that can be found there. 

“Noting such faint differences in rocks on the Moon will help reveal the history of asteroid collisions, volcanic activity, and other events that shaped not only the Moon, but also Earth and the rest of our solar system,” it said.

The Astronauts involved in the exercise were joined by dozen of engineers and scientists on the field. To give an exact feel about the mission, a crew was in contact with them from a mock mission control center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. 

“Incredible experience” 

“My experience in Arizona was incredible! I worked with several teams, explored an exotic landscape, and got a taste of what it's like to be on a mission with a crew,” said Andre Douglas.     

Why Simulation Practice holds key

“Traveling to space requires immense preparation, not just for the astronauts, but for the hundreds of people who work in the background. That’s why Earth-based simulations are key. They allow spacesuit and tool designers to see their designs in action,” NASA said. 

As per space agency, flight controllers monitor spacecraft systems and the crew’s activities which help them catch early signs of technical issues or threats to astronaut safety.

“And scientists use simulations to practice making geologic observations from afar through descriptions from astronauts,” NASA said.

It further mentioned that  after the moonwalks, the astronauts tested technology that could be used on Artemis missions, including a heads-up display that uses augmented reality to help with navigation, and lighting beacons that could help guide a crew back to a lunar lander.

India - First Country to land on Moon’s South Pole

India took a giant leap as the Chandrayaan-3 lander module successfully landed on the moon's South Pole on August 23, 2023, making it the first country to have achieved the historic feat.

As the Vikram lander carrying the Pragyan rover in its belly touched down on the lunar surface, it marked a giant leap in India’s spacefaring journey providing a well-deserved finale to ISRO’s long years of toil.

India became the fourth country – after the US, China, and Russia – to have successfully landed on the moon’s surface, it has earned a place in record books as the first to touchdown on the south side of Earth’s only natural satellite. The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14.