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

A person wearing a white space suit floats underwater with divers nearby interacting with various equipment.

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

Humanity's drive to explore has taken us across the solar system, with astronaut boots, various landers and rovers' wheels exploring the surfaces of several different planetary bodies. These environments are generally hostile to human and equipment health, so designing and executing these missions requires a lot of planning, testing and technological development.