NASA’s Nighttime Desert Simulation Prepares Artemis III for Moon’s South Pole

NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas recently participated in a nighttime simulated moonwalk in Northern Arizona as part of the Joint Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Test Team Field Test 5 (JETT5). Conducted in the San Francisco Volcanic Field, the exercise aimed to rehearse operations for the upcoming Artemis III mission. The test involved two integrated teams: a field team composed of astronauts, NASA engineers, and field experts, and a team of flight controllers and scientists at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, who monitored and guided the activities.

The simulation's primary objective was to identify potential challenges and gaps associated with lunar South Pole operations, an area largely unexplored. Participants wore mockup spacesuits to better mimic the lunar environment, conducting a series of moonwalks to gather data. The insights gained from JETT5 are expected to refine operations for NASA's Artemis missions and contribute to the development of commercial lunar vendors and other technological advancements.