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NASA Administrator “Flying” a Lunar Lander at SimLabs

Sumedha Garud-Barna

Editor

The headshot image of Victoriana Delossantos

Victoriana Delossantos

Aug 30, 2019
Article

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine visited the NASA Ames Simulation Laboratories (SimLabs) for a lunar lander demonstration at the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) on May 31, 2019. In a highly realistic simulation, the Administrator piloted a spacecraft (with a cockpit configured like the Apollo Lunar Module) to successfully touch down on the lunar surface.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine wearing a headset stands at the controls in a cockpit mocked up like the Apollo Lunar Module.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (pictured at left) experiences the lunar lander simulation at the VMS. Astronaut Karol “Bo” Bobko (pictured at right) served as the “flight instructor” and guided the Administrator to complete several successful landings.
Credits: NASA/Dominic Hart

Administrator Bridenstine then flew Rep. Anna G. Eshoo in the VMS, while discussing work on NASA’s Artemis program to go forward to the Moon by 2024. Past VMS studies have shown that landing on the Moon is extremely challenging from a control point of view, and motion-based simulation is critical for autonomous and piloted flight to study sensor and dynamics issues. After the lunar simulation demonstration, both Bridenstine and Eshoo posted glowing reviews on their social media – with Bridenstine stating, “@NASAAmes will be instrumental in putting the first woman and next man on the surface of the Moon as part of our Artemis program.”

The Administrator also spoke with several media outlets while flying them in the VMS lunar lander simulation. The simulator is reconfigurable and customizable for research as well as training, to test new ideas for future spaceflight. As Bridenstine said to one reporter, “So when our astronauts go to the Moon in 2024…we will have not just trained our astronauts in this simulator here at Ames, but we will have used this simulator to test the various designs, modeled the designs…we will have had those astronauts assess whether or not these designs are working or not working, and how to make them better.”

Technical papers and information about research and space systems simulations at the VMS.

The VMS is just one of several simulation facilities located at NASA SimLabs. These immersive human-in-the-loop simulation capabilities are used for research to develop new aerospace concepts and technologies. NASA SimLabs boasts nearly 40 years of successful partnering with commercial space companies, academic institutions, and other government agencies – so please share this story to inspire the next collaboration as we go forward to the Moon!

Two pilots in a mock lunar lander cockpit. Realistic flight controls are seen and graphics of the lunar surface out the window.
Inside an interchangeable cab at the VMS, a lunar lander cockpit is simulated – all hardware and software can be customized for new research.
NASA / Dominic Hart

More information on how NASA SimLabs can Simulate Future Space.