What is the NASA Desert Rats?

The Desert RATS is a NASA-led team of research partners working together to prepare for human-robotic exploration. This "working group," led by NASA personnel, is comprised of both NASA and non-NASA Members.

NASA's Desert Research and Technology Studies (Desert RATS or D-RATS) is a group of teams which perform an annual series of field trials seeking to demonstrate and test candidate technologies and systems for manned exploration of the surface of the Moon, Mars, or other rocky bodies.

Desert RATS began in 1998, reviving Apollo-style lunar exploration training from decades earlier. The field event takes place for around ten days each year, usually in September, in planned locations surrounding Flagstaff, Arizona. In recent years tests have been conducted near Meteor Crater. The rugged terrain, temperature swings, and dirt and dust provide a reasonable simulation of conditions on Mars. The trials at D-RATS may help to fulfill the goals of Project Constellation and the Vision for Space Exploration.