NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas participated in a night moonwalk simulation in northern Arizona as part of JETT5, designed to practice operations for the upcoming Artemis III mission. Two teams participated in the test; one conducts moonwalks in Arizona and the other provides support for NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

NASA astronauts Kate Rubins (foreground) and Andre Douglas perform a nighttime moonwalk simulation as part of Team Field Test 5 (JETT5) at the San Francisco Volcanic Field in northern Arizona on May 16, 2024. The testing consisted of four simulated moonwalks following operations planned for Artemis III and beyond.

During the simulation, two integrated teams worked closely together to conduct end-to-end operations on the Moon. The field team consisted of astronauts, NASA engineers and field experts who conducted simulated moonwalks in the Arizona desert, while a team of flight controllers and scientists from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston observed and directed their activities.

At the end of each simulated moonwalk, the science team, flight control team, crew members, and field experts met to discuss and record lessons learned. NASA will take these lessons and apply them to NASA’s Artemis missions, commercial supplier development, and other technology development operations.