Before the Moon, There Was the Ocean

Photo: Coral Restoration Foundation™ / NASA

Introduction

While NASA prepares to send humans back to the Moon through the program Artemis II, we reveal the fascinating ways in which Coral Restoration Foundation™ (CRF) has supported astronaut training in one of the most unexpected environments on Earth: coral reefs.

Underwater Training for Space Missions

For years, in the Aquarius Reef Base in the Florida Keys, astronauts have lived and worked beneath the ocean's surface as part of the NASA's Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO). This program is designed to train astronauts for space missions, simulating spaceflight conditions and preparing crews to work in extreme and hostile environments.

Base Aquarius Reef en los Cayos de Florida

Aquarius Reef Base in the Florida Keys (NASA/CRF)

CRF Science Used by NASA Astronauts

In 2021, as NASA prepared for its next phase of human lunar exploration, the agency commissioned CRF to produce a high-resolution three-dimensional photomosaic of the Aquarius habitat and surrounding seafloor. Built from over 60,000 images captured during eight days of diving, the map covers nearly 35,000 square meters with millimeter-scale resolution. At that level of detail, even the bolts holding the habitat structure together can be clearly visualized in 3D.

Fotomosaico 3D del hábitat Aquarius creado por CRF para la NASA

3D photomosaic of the Aquarius habitat created by CRF for NASA (CRF)

The CRF collaboration with NASA has extended beyond mapping. During NEEMO 23 in 2019, CRF scientists trained astronauts to assemble and install Coral Tree structures underwater. Working with full diving equipment, the astronauts performed the tasks step by step, handling tools, securing components and installing structures on the seafloor — mirroring the type of fine motor skills, coordination and problem-solving required during spacewalks.

Astronautas entrenando con estructuras de Árbol de Coral durante la misión NEEMO 23

Astronauts training with Coral Tree structures during the NEEMO 23 mission (NASA)

The Intersection Between Ocean Science and Space Exploration

This work highlights a growing overlap between ocean science and space exploration. Both demand precision, adaptability, and the ability to operate safely in complex, high-risk environments where conditions are unknown and unforgiving.

"The same processes we use to understand and restore coral reefs can also support how humans explore other extreme environments", said Alex Neufeld, Science Program Manager at CRF. "It is a powerful reminder that solutions developed for the ocean can have applications far beyond it."

As NASA advances with the Artemis program, the role of terrestrial analog environments, and the science behind them, continues to shape how humans prepare for the next era of exploration beyond our planet.

Source:
Press release link: Before the Moon, There Was the Ocean
Author: CRF
Photo ©: Coral Restoration Foundation™ / NASA
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