Jordan Bretzfelder

Analog missions, like those conducted at NASA’s CHAPEA facility at the Johnson Space Center, help scientists study human spaceflight without leaving Earth. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

January 22, 2026

Space exploration in the backyard, on a budget – how NASA simulates conditions in space without blasting off

Jordan Bretzfelder, Georgia Institute of Technology

A planetary scientist who has participated in analog missions describes their value for planning space exploration – and learning about extreme environments on Earth.

1

0

Space exploration in the backyard, on a budget – how NASA simulates conditions in space without blasting off

Contact Jordan for