A suit port allows astronauts to be on the surface within a few minutesFrom The BBC:
Nasa is testing the next generation of human spaceflight technology in the deserts of Arizona, US.
The Desert RATS (Research and Technology Studies) programme is designed to give advanced equipment a trial run, and to expose any issues before it is used in space.
The dry, dusty, rocky land near the lip of the Grand Canyon provides a good simulation of other planets.
"The terrain is very varied, and is very volcanic in nature, which more or less represents what you would see on the Moon" says Joe Kosmo, Mission Manager for the Desert RATS programme.
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