What is an Analog?

Why We Explore

why do we explore?
Why Do We Explore?

From the time of our birth, humans have felt a primordial urge to explore -- to blaze new trails, map new lands, and answer profound questions about ourselves and our universe.

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Exploration History

The X-15 aircraft.
This Month in Exploration

Visit every month to find out how aviation and space exploration have improved life for humans on Earth and in space.

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Featured 2009 Field Tests

    Desert RATS
    Arizona Desert (Completed: Aug 28 - Sept 18)

    Desert RATS
    Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) is an annual field test led by NASA in collaboration with non-NASA research partners. The Desert RATS effort assesses preliminary exploration operational concepts for surface operation concepts, including rovers, EVA time lines, and ground support.

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    Haughton Mars Project (HMP)
    Haughton Crater, Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada (Completed: July 18-24, 2009)

    Haughton Mars Project patch
    The Rocky arctic desert setting, geological features and biological attributes of the Haughton Crater offer a unique terrestrial opportunity to conduct simulated lunar exploration activities, including sample extraction, human research activities and extravehicular activity (EVA) tool development.

    Blog | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | YouTube | Home Page


    Pavilion Lake Research Project
    Pavilion Lake, British Columbia, Canada (Completed: July 4-16, 2009)

    Pavilion Lake Research Project icon
    The Pavilion Lake Research Project (PLRP), conducted in British Columbia, Canada, is a multi-disciplinary science and exploration mission to explain the origin of freshwater microbialites. NASA conducts analog missions at Pavilion Lake because the extreme, remote location will provide a challenging setting to test and develop research and exploration methods. Collecting microbialite samples will help improve techniques for future space exploration missions and scientific research.

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Past Analog Field Tests

  • HMP base camp.

    Haughton Mars Project  →

    Haughton Crater's rocky arctic desert setting offers a unique terrestrial opportunity to conduct simulated lunar exploration activities, including sample extraction, human research activities and extravehicular activity (EVA) tool development.

  • Dave Williams is deployed and begins his flight.

    Pavilion Lake  →

    Pavilion Lake’s extreme, remote location is a challenging venue to test and develop research and exploration methods, including mobility and sample collection.
    Twitter | Picasa | Facebook

  • Desert RATS 2008

    Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS)

    Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) is an annual field test led by NASA in collaboration with non-NASA research partners. The Desert RATS effort assesses preliminary exploration operational concepts for surface operation concepts, including rovers, EVA time lines, and ground support.

  • The PILOT system

    Rover Testing and Oxygen Production Technology in Hawaii

    NASA is testing rovers and oxygen production technology in Hawaii

  • Testing at Moses Lake

    Moses Lake 2008 - Testing Lunar Robots and Spacesuits

    NASA robotic vehicles and their developers braved sand storms and unprecedented temperature swings on sweeping dunes near Moses Lake, Washington to prepare for future lunar expeditions.

  • Inflatable Habitat Blog

    Inflatable Habitat B-B-B-Blog

    Get the cold, hard facts about setting up an inflatable lunar habitat in Antarctica straight from Larry Toup's frigid fingers.

  • NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations

    NEEMO

    Three astronauts and a Constellation Program aerospace engineer began a 10-day NASA mission in the ocean depths off the Florida coast Aug. 6, 2007. They tested lunar exploration concepts and a suite of long-duration spaceflight medical objectives.

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