Lunar mission training really boils down to three essential areas: landing procedures, safety protocols, and meeting strict readiness standards. Astronauts spend a lot of time mastering tricky lunar landings with advanced simulations, drilling emergency responses, and proving they’re actually ready for the Moon.
Mission simulators throw astronauts into the thick of lunar descent and surface ops, mimicking the Moon’s one-sixth gravity. It’s a different world—literally—so crews practice flying and landing in conditions that just don’t exist here on Earth.
Training zeroes in on those last tense moments before touchdown. Astronauts have to spot good landing zones using only what they see, all while keeping an eye on fuel and descent speed. The old Apollo missions showed that you need razor-sharp instincts, and honestly, only practice makes that possible.
These days, training mixes virtual reality with physical terrain mockups. Crews focus on the Moon’s south pole, where Artemis aims to land. They learn to read the landscape, dodge hazards, and bail out safely if something goes wrong.
Safety protocols are the backbone of every lunar mission training program. Astronauts get ready for the worst: life support failures, fires, or even medical emergencies on the way to the Moon.
They practice putting out fires in zero gravity and dealing with sudden decompression—never fun, but vital. Teams run these drills in full pressure suits, which gets pretty claustrophobic, just like it will during real missions.
Medical emergencies get special attention. Crews learn basic first aid, how to treat injuries, and what to do if someone gets sick out there. The Apollo teams needed this kind of prep—nobody’s coming to the rescue on the Moon.
Mission readiness benchmarks set the bar for who actually gets to fly. Astronauts have to prove they know the tech, can handle the physical strain, and won’t crack under pressure.
Technical tests put crews through their paces on spacecraft systems, navigation, and science tasks. They have to show they can handle backup systems and jump in manually if the computers quit.
Physical standards are tough. Astronauts spend long hours in pressure suits and have to work in low gravity. Psychological screenings check if crews can handle stress and get along during ten days in a cramped ship.
NASA doesn’t do this alone. The agency teams up with military groups and specialty training centers to get astronauts ready for lunar missions.
The U.S. Army National Guard handles high-altitude helicopter training, which is surprisingly close to what lunar landings feel like. HAATS in Colorado pushes astronauts with tough, realistic environments.
The U.S. Army National Guard steps up as a key training partner for NASA’s Artemis program. Colorado Army National Guard pilots have racked up thousands of hours flying the Rockies at altitudes from 6,500 to 14,200 feet.
They train astronauts using several types of helicopters: LUH-72 Lakotas, CH-47 Chinooks, and UH-60 Black Hawks. Each one brings its own quirks and challenges.
During these sessions, one astronaut flies while another scouts the landing area from the back. This setup really nails the kind of teamwork needed for lunar landings.
The Guard’s mountain flying skills are a huge asset. Their motto, “de montibus ad astra”—from the mountains to the stars—says it all.
HAATS (High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site) in Gypsum, Colorado, is a prime spot for simulating lunar landings. They’ve been training military helicopter pilots for years in some pretty brutal mountain conditions.
Flying helicopters at high altitudes means thin air and little power to spare, which feels a lot like flying on the Moon. Pilots have to be careful with every move, just like the Apollo astronauts did.
The Colorado Rockies offer up terrain that mimics the Moon’s surface. Astronauts land on mountaintops and in valleys, battling weird visual illusions and lousy visibility.
The course gets harder as the week goes on. By the end, astronauts have built real confidence and solid teamwork for the real deal on the Moon.
Johnson Space Center pulls together NASA’s three-pronged approach: motion-based simulation, in-flight analogs, and in-flight lunar simulation.
HAATS adds the hands-on flight training you just can’t get from a simulator. The mountains and high-altitude conditions there force astronauts to deal with challenges they’ll face near the Moon’s South Pole.
These places form a complete training ecosystem. Johnson Space Center covers theory and simulations, while HAATS delivers practical flying experience.
This partnership helps both SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin lunar lander programs. NASA sets the foundation, and each company builds on it with their own lander training.
The Moon isn’t exactly friendly. Astronauts deal with wild lighting, nasty dust, and a surface that’s anything but smooth. Training has to account for all of this.
Walking on the Moon is a real challenge. Craters, rocks, and loose regolith make every step a gamble. With low gravity, astronauts bounce higher, but stopping or turning gets tricky.
The South Pole is even tougher for Artemis. There are permanently shadowed craters next to sunlit ridges, and the temperature swings are just nuts—from 250°F in the sun to -400°F in the shadows.
Rocky outcrops and steep crater walls add to the danger. Astronauts have to pick their way across slopes covered in loose debris, and nothing smooths out the rough spots because there’s no wind.
Key South Pole challenges include:
Lunar dust is brutal. It sticks to everything and can wreck sensitive gear. Unlike Earth dust, lunar regolith is sharp and never gets worn down.
Lighting on the Moon is no joke. There’s blinding glare in the sun and pitch-black shadows. Astronauts lose depth perception and have a hard time judging where to walk.
Commercial VR headsets struggle with lunar dust, too. The particles clog fans and damage moving parts, so training centers have to use dust-proof equipment to keep things running.
Visibility gets even worse at lunar dawn and dusk. Shadows stretch for days, making it tough for astronauts to see what they’re doing.
Training centers use special materials to copy the Moon’s surface. The ESA-DLR LUNA facility dumps 900 tonnes of basalt-based regolith simulant across 700 square meters. This EAC-1A simulant acts a lot like real lunar dust.
Virtual reality systems now handle those crazy lighting contrasts that used to mess up training. Advanced headsets mix in infrared sensors to track movement, even with harsh lights.
Physical mock-ups can’t fit something huge like SpaceX’s Starship lander. VR steps in, simulating gear that would never fit in a building. Trainers can swap out scenarios fast without rebuilding anything.
Modern training environments combine:
Blending physical and virtual training gets astronauts ready for the Moon’s weirdness, but keeps everyone safe here on Earth.
NASA uses motion-based simulation and in-flight lunar simulation to get astronauts ready for lunar landing missions. These methods throw in all the illusions, hazards, and constraints crews will face on the Moon.
Mission simulation devices are the heart of astronaut prep. They recreate the same cockpit and controls crews will use during real missions.
Modern simulators blend sights, sounds, and even the weird shadows and lighting of the lunar South Pole. The Sun never gets higher than 1.5 degrees above the horizon there, so it’s a constant challenge.
Simulators use real lunar data to build terrain. Astronauts practice flying over deep craters, sharp ridges, and boulder fields.
The visual systems strip away atmospheric perspective, making distance judgment tough. On the Moon, you can’t rely on the same cues pilots use on Earth.
Crews also drill communication protocols. One astronaut flies, while another calls out hazards and helps plot the landing.
Motion-based simulators bring in the physical feel that regular trainers just can’t. These platforms move and tilt, letting astronauts experience the forces of descent and landing.
The platforms mimic how lunar landers fly in low gravity. Astronauts learn to manage energy and momentum in ways that feel nothing like flying on Earth.
Scenarios get harder as training goes on. Astronauts deal with engine failures, navigation glitches, and surprise obstacles—all while the platform moves under them.
SpaceX and Blue Origin run their own motion-based simulators. Each one nails the exact feel of their spacecraft, right down to the controls.
Simulators even throw in dust effects that mess with visibility during landing. Lunar dust can block sensors, making altitude and speed readings tricky.
In-flight lunar simulation uses military helicopters at high altitudes to mimic Moon conditions. NASA teams up with the Colorado Army National Guard at HAATS for this.
Helicopters flying above 10,000 feet in thin air act a lot like lunar landers. Pilots have to manage power carefully, just like they will on the Moon.
Astronauts use LUH-72 Lakotas, CH-47 Chinooks, and UH-60 Black Hawks at altitudes from 6,500 to 14,200 feet. The rugged mountain terrain throws in visual challenges that feel just like the lunar surface.
Training flights have astronauts landing in valleys and on mountaintops, dealing with lighting illusions and no atmospheric cues. Snow and dust during these flights help simulate the Moon’s visibility problems.
The week-long course ramps up the difficulty. Teams practice the kind of communication and coordination they’ll need when one astronaut is flying and the other is spotting hazards.
NASA and the U.S. Army National Guard teamed up to create specialized helicopter training programs for Artemis astronauts. These aircraft help astronauts get ready for the tricky visual and operational challenges they’ll face landing near the moon’s south pole.
The CH-47 Chinook acts as the main training helicopter for Artemis astronauts at the High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site in Colorado. This big, twin-rotor chopper handles flights at altitudes from 6,500 up to 14,200 feet.
At those heights, the Chinook’s engines have to work harder, just like lunar landers do in the moon’s thin “air.” Pilots have to watch their energy and momentum carefully—pretty much the way Apollo astronauts did on their descents.
During these flights, crew members practice clear communication. One astronaut flies while another maps out landing areas and spots possible hazards below.
National Guard instructors fly right alongside the astronauts. Their guidance helps astronauts handle more complex scenarios, building teamwork and decision-making skills under pressure.
UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters bring a different feel to the training. They handle differently from the Chinook, so astronauts get to practice with multiple landing styles and controls.
Black Hawk flights focus on navigating when you can’t see much. Snow and dust can totally block a pilot’s view—just like lunar dust will during moon landings.
The program throws in emergency and abort scenarios, too. Astronauts have to make quick decisions if weather or equipment goes sideways and they need to pick a new landing spot.
Cross-cockpit communication gets a lot of attention here. When visibility drops or something unexpected pops up, clear talk between pilot and co-pilot becomes absolutely essential.
The UH-72A Lakota rounds out the trio of training helicopters for Artemis. It’s lighter and more nimble, so astronauts get a feel for different flight dynamics and how the controls respond in the mountains.
Lakota training zeroes in on precision landings in tight spots. The smaller helicopter needs fine-tuned control, which mirrors the accuracy astronauts will need when touching down on the lunar surface.
Motion-based simulators back up the hands-on helicopter work. Astronauts start out in the simulator to master the basics before they ever climb into a real cockpit.
Using three different helicopters gives astronauts a range of experiences with various controls and flight characteristics. This variety helps them get ready for the quirks they’ll face in SpaceX’s Starship human landing system.
Modern astronaut training really leans on what we learned from Apollo, but it’s not stuck in the past. The new Artemis crews face different challenges, so the programs have evolved with better tech and bigger mission goals.
Apollo astronauts didn’t just go to the moon—they brought back insights that shaped today’s training. Their struggles with lunar dust, weird lighting, and surface operations are now baked into current programs.
Visual challenges came up again and again in Apollo reports. Astronauts described a strange “glow” from the moon’s thin exosphere, and those long shadows near the south pole made it tough to judge distances and heights.
Lunar dust caused plenty of headaches. It clogged up sensors and made landings even trickier. Today’s training directly addresses these issues.
Communication protocols from Apollo still sit at the heart of training. The cross-cockpit talk helps crews coordinate during tricky landing sequences.
Apollo missions showed that solid, thorough prep on the ground made all the difference. Their reports made it clear: you can’t train too much for the moon.
Artemis training builds on Apollo’s foundation but shifts focus to the lunar south pole and new science goals.
Now, teams aren’t just pilots and engineers. Scientists, trainers, and hardware experts all work together—much more collaborative than Apollo’s old-school setup.
Modern programs demand about 1,000 hours of specialized training per astronaut. That’s classroom work, labs, and field exercises. Once crews get assigned, they jump into monthly field training.
Artemis II will send the first crew around the moon since Apollo. Their training mixes lessons from both the International Space Station and Apollo days.
Simulators have gotten a huge upgrade, too. Motion-based tech now recreates lunar conditions far more accurately than anything Apollo crews had.
Current training takes Apollo’s hard-won lessons and tweaks them for new spacecraft and mission profiles. Crews have to get ready for SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin Blue Moon landers, each with their own quirks.
Military helicopters like the UH-72A Lakota, CH-47 Chinook, and UH-60 Black Hawk give astronauts a taste of lunar landing conditions in the Rocky Mountains.
Flights happen between 6,500 and 14,200 feet, where the air is thin and power is limited—just like on the moon. Crews practice spotting visual illusions and handling poor visibility.
Training uses a three-pronged approach: simulation, analog flights, and lunar scenario practice. One astronaut flies while another maps landing zones and hazards.
Lunar science experts now work hand-in-hand with flight control teams. That way, science goals get as much attention as safety when planning missions.
NASA and its commercial partners put spacesuits and equipment through the wringer before anyone heads to the moon. Modern suits face tough tests in simulated lunar conditions, and engineers keep tweaking old designs to handle the Moon’s extremes.
The latest spacesuits make a huge leap beyond Apollo-era gear. Artemis suits feature advanced life support that can keep astronauts going for much longer on the lunar surface.
Engineers run these suits through their paces in Chamber A, which mimics the Moon’s deep freeze. New mobility joints let astronauts bend, kneel, and grab samples with way more freedom than before.
Life support systems now focus on longer missions. Modern suits can handle eight-hour spacewalks, double what earlier models managed. Their backpacks carry redundant systems for oxygen, CO2 removal, and temperature control.
Built-in helmet comms connect astronauts directly to lunar landers and mission control on Earth. No more juggling extra radios like Apollo astronauts had to do.
Astronauts suit up and rehearse lunar tasks in all sorts of Earth-based facilities. These tests show if the suits hold up during simulated landings and surface work.
Some recent tests have astronauts walking from airlocks to elevator platforms, just like they’ll do on the moon. The suits need to keep pressure and life support running smoothly through all these transitions.
SpaceX hosts its own suit trials, too. Astronauts practice the movements they’ll need for Artemis III—collecting samples, setting up equipment, and handling emergencies.
Oregon’s volcanic fields give astronauts a taste of lunar terrain. The rough, rocky ground is about as close as you’ll get to the moon without leaving Earth.
Lunar suits have to survive stuff Earth suits never dreamed of. That abrasive moon dust? It’s brutal on seals, joints, and pretty much every moving part.
Temperatures swing from -250°F in shadow to 250°F in sunlight. Suits use high-tech thermal systems to keep astronauts comfortable as they move between these extremes.
With no atmosphere on the moon, suits need perfect seals. Engineers test suit integrity in vacuum chambers that mimic the moon’s airless conditions for hours at a stretch.
Dust mitigation is a big deal now. New materials and designs help keep lunar grit from wrecking suit seals or jamming up joints.
Helmets now come with better visibility systems. Anti-glare coatings and adjustable visors help astronauts deal with the moon’s harsh sunlight bouncing off the surface.
Astronauts prepping for lunar missions have to nail some pretty complex landing and mobility skills. Training mixes high-altitude helicopter flights, advanced simulators, and hands-on surface scenarios to get crews ready for the moon’s challenges.
NASA’s approach to lunar lander training has three main parts: motion-based simulation, real flights in helicopters, and specialized lunar exercises.
Military helicopters fly above 10,000 feet in Colorado’s Rockies to create thin-air conditions similar to lunar landers. Astronauts have to manage energy and momentum carefully during these descents.
The High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (HAATS) in Gypsum, Colorado, is the main base for this training. Astronauts jump into LUH-72 Lakotas, CH-47 Chinooks, and UH-60 Black Hawks to practice landings.
In each flight, one astronaut flies while another sits in back, charting landing spots and marking hazards. This setup mimics the teamwork needed on real lunar missions.
Lunar terrain isn’t easy—deep craters, steep ridges, and harsh shadows create optical illusions. At the South Pole, the sun barely peeks above the horizon, throwing long, confusing shadows.
Simulators let astronauts feel what it’s like to drive around in the moon’s one-sixth gravity. The Moon RACER team built a 6-degree-of-freedom simulator that gives real-time feedback as astronauts learn to operate lunar vehicles.
These simulators help crews get ready for the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), which will carry astronauts across the surface. The LTV mixes aerospace and automotive tech for power and mission operations.
Training covers autonomous, remote, and manual driving. Astronauts practice dodging boulders, craters, and volcanic rocks—pretty much everything the moon can throw at them.
With this tech, crews can get used to the LTV’s quirks before they ever leave Earth. That’s got to boost confidence and cut down on mission risks.
Surface training ties together lander operations and vehicle use for full mission run-throughs. Astronauts practice moving from landing to exploration using all the gear they’ll need.
Training covers working with SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin landers, plus all the mobility equipment. Each system brings its own set of steps and challenges.
Crews learn how to handle moon dust on sensors and windows. That stuff can block altitude and speed readings, which are critical for safe ops. Training includes troubleshooting and working in low-visibility situations.
Communication between lander and surface crews is a huge focus. Astronauts work on the back-and-forth needed when one handles landing and the other navigates or spots hazards.
Launch prep isn’t a quick checklist—it’s months of planning, testing, and double-checking every detail. Teams go over rocket systems, work the launch facilities, and run through safety reviews before any spacecraft leaves Earth.
The Space Launch System is NASA’s most powerful rocket, built for deep space missions. SLS protocols kick off with ground crews testing all four RS-25 engines and the twin solid rocket boosters.
Pre-launch testing gets underway about 120 days before liftoff. Engineers run integrated systems tests to check that the rocket and ground control can communicate with each other.
The core stage goes through fuel loading simulations using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
Critical SLS checkpoints include:
About 30 days before launch, ground crews run a wet dress rehearsal. They fill the SLS tanks with actual propellants and take the countdown all the way to T-10 seconds, then pause.
In the last 72 hours, the flight software gets its final updates. Mission planners upload trajectory data and orbital parameters straight to the rocket’s guidance computers.
Kennedy Space Center stands as America’s main launch facility for lunar missions. Teams in the Vehicle Assembly Building get to work as soon as the SLS arrives for its final integration with the Orion crew capsule.
The mobile launcher platform carries the assembled rocket to Launch Pad 39B using the crawler-transporter. That 4-mile trip takes around 6 hours, moving at less than 2 mph.
Pad operations start right away when the rocket arrives. Launch tower umbilicals hook up to deliver power, communications, and environmental control.
Ground support teams fill the rocket’s tanks with over 700,000 gallons of propellant during the final countdown.
Weather stations keep an eye on wind speeds, lightning, and cloud cover. Launch rules call for winds under 35 mph and no precipitation within 10 nautical miles.
Range safety officers track the flight path non-stop by radar. If the rocket strays from its approved trajectory, their systems can end the mission.
Safety reviews start with hazard analysis for every phase of the mission. Independent boards dig into possible failure modes and ways to reduce risk for each spacecraft system.
The Flight Readiness Review happens two weeks before launch. Engineering teams present data to prove all systems meet safety standards.
Final safety checklist items include:
Mission Control checks communications with tracking stations worldwide. Ground teams verify they can receive telemetry from Australia, Spain, and California.
Crew medical evaluations take place 72 hours before launch. Flight surgeons clear astronauts for flight after detailed health screenings.
Quarantine protocols kick in to prevent illness exposure during the final stretch.
Launch commit criteria set the exact weather and technical requirements for liftoff. Mission managers review these criteria during polling sequences, repeating them throughout the countdown.
Astronauts spend a lot of time practicing communication protocols and decision-making skills that match what they’ll need during real lunar missions. Training programs focus on trust and leadership structures that hold up under extreme stress.
NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock points out that flight training gives crews a chance to practice the cross-cockpit communication they’ll rely on near the lunar south pole.
During National Guard helicopter training in Colorado, one astronaut pilots the aircraft while another checks landing areas and calls out hazards.
This two-person teamwork reflects how lunar landing operations work. The crew has to talk constantly about altitude, obstacles, and landing zone conditions.
As astronauts progress, training scenarios get more complex. They practice calling out critical info while juggling several tasks at once.
Communication protocols include:
At Johnson Space Center, virtual reality simulations recreate lunar surface conditions. These sessions emphasize clear communication between astronauts and mission control back on Earth.
The lunar south pole’s rough terrain throws plenty of dangers at the crew, forcing quick decisions. Deep craters, steep ridges, and big boulders can pop up suddenly because of tricky lighting and dust.
Training teaches astronauts to spot hazards as a team. One crew member looks for obstacles, while the other checks backup landing sites.
Key hazard categories include:
Decision-making drills ramp up the pressure to mimic real conditions. Teams pick landing sites in seconds, weighing several safety factors at once.
Mountain helicopter training throws in snow and dust, making it tough to see—pretty similar to the lunar dust plumes Apollo crews described.
Each lunar mission names a commander and a pilot, each with specific landing duties. The commander makes the final calls about landing sites and aborts.
Training sets up clear authority before missions start. Crew members practice switching leadership roles during different mission phases.
Commander responsibilities:
Pilot responsibilities:
Role-switching exercises get crews ready for emergencies where one member can’t perform their duties. These scenarios push teams to adapt their communication and decision-making on the fly.
Military-style training helps build the teamwork culture that space missions need. Crews develop trust and a sense of shared purpose through tough simulations that force them to rely on each other.
Training programs never really stand still. NASA partners with commercial space companies and uses new simulation tech to keep astronauts ready for missions beyond the Moon.
Commercial space companies now play a big part in astronaut training. Axiom Space leads the way in creating standardized training protocols for commercial crew missions.
Private Sector Training Standards
These partnerships cut training costs and boost program quality. SpaceX and Blue Origin contribute spacecraft-specific training modules that simulate real flight conditions.
Commercial companies also supply specialized equipment for training. Their involvement makes preparation scenarios feel more real for future missions.
Virtual reality systems now let astronauts train on accurate lunar surface conditions. Trainees can practice complex tasks without pricey field trips.
Advanced simulation software models low gravity with precise physics. Astronauts get to experience realistic movement and equipment handling before they ever leave Earth.
Key Training Technologies
Remote training connects international teams, no matter where they are. This tech keeps training standards consistent across the globe.
Current lunar training programs set the stage for future Mars missions. The Artemis II mission will give NASA valuable data for developing longer training protocols.
Mars prep takes different physical and psychological training methods. Long isolation and delayed communication mean crews need new strategies.
Now, training programs include multi-planetary scenario planning. Crews practice adapting to different gravity and atmospheric conditions.
Extended Mission Training Elements
These expanded programs make sure crews can handle the weird challenges of exploring other planets.
Lunar mission training is no joke—it takes months of geology fieldwork, spacecraft systems drills, and survival skills. The Artemis program uses cutting-edge simulation tech and usually requires about 18 months of focused training.
Artemis astronauts dive deep into geology training to prep for lunar observations and photography during Moon flybys. They head to places like Iceland and Mistastin Crater in Canada to practice real field geology.
The crew trains hard on Orion spacecraft systems, using touchscreen controls and modern digital setups. They also run proximity operations demos to simulate docking with future lunar landers or the Gateway space station.
Life support system testing is a big part of Artemis training. Astronauts learn to handle eating, waste management, and environmental control systems on long missions.
Recovery operations training happens at Naval Base San Diego. Crews practice sea landing procedures and emergency protocols for ocean splashdowns.
Apollo training put a huge focus on piloting skills since most astronauts were test pilots. They practiced lunar gravity maneuvers using the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle.
Systems training centered on manual controls, switches, and early computer programming. Crews learned to operate complex mechanical systems without today’s digital convenience.
Geology training was pretty limited—only one scientist-astronaut, Harrison Schmitt, ever walked on the Moon. Most Apollo crew members got just basic geology fieldwork.
Mission training focused on landing procedures, surface ops, and lunar module work. Each crew prepared for specific landing sites and planned their exploration.
Modern training draws from 23 years of International Space Station experience. Astronauts now understand long-duration spaceflight effects and have solid microgravity operational knowledge.
Artemis crews bring a mix of spacewalk experience, multiple spacecraft ops, and scientific backgrounds. That’s a big shift from Apollo’s mainly test pilot crews.
Technology training now covers touchscreen interfaces, advanced computer systems, and new life support tech. Apollo folks worked with switches and basic computers.
Diversity matters more now, too. Modern crews include women, international partners, and scientists from all sorts of fields. Apollo stuck to American male test pilots and military staff.
NASA Johnson Space Center has advanced Orion simulators that mimic flight systems and procedures. These let crews practice both regular operations and emergencies.
Training facilities in Florida work with Exploration Ground Systems to simulate launch sequences. Recent drills have tested crew procedures and ground support coordination.
Virtual reality and computer-based systems add to physical simulators. These tech tools offer flexible practice for different mission phases and emergencies.
Proximity operations simulators let crews practice docking maneuvers. They recreate the tricky parts of approaching and connecting with other spacecraft or stations.
Artemis missions take about 18 months of solid training. There’s a lot to cover—lunar operations are complex, and procedures can change as things develop.
The timeline also includes time for new contingency scenarios and software updates. Crews have to master emergency procedures and stay flexible as mission requirements shift.
Training involves hundreds of support people, including 85 on the flight operations instructor list. This big support network ensures comprehensive preparation for every mission detail.
International training stretches out the timeline, too, since crews travel to different countries for geology fieldwork and specialized exercises.
Sea survival training gets crews ready for those splashdowns in the Pacific Ocean. Astronauts actually practice getting out of the capsule and handling themselves in the water.
They also go through emergency systems training. Here, crews learn what to do if life support fails, the radio goes silent, or something just stops working.
Backup systems become their best friends. Astronauts run through emergency protocols until they know them by heart.
Medical emergency training dives into the basics, too. Crews figure out how to handle injuries or health problems, even when no one on Earth can help right away.
For contingency landings, they prep for the unexpected. Astronauts train to survive in all kinds of remote places while they wait for rescue.
