National Geographic Traveller India – July 2019

1. ON THE GROUND

The red desert
landscape of southern
Utah mimics the
isolation, geology,
and palette of our
planetary neighbour
Mars. A hike through
this region reveals deep
red canyons, buttes,
and pinnacles. Ignore
the succulents and you
can imagine yourself
trekking in the Valles
Marineris, Mars’s
version of the Grand
Canyon. Rainbow Bridge
National Monument,
in this part of the

state, is a spectacular,

290-foot-tall natural

arch made of red-brown

Navajo and Kayenta

sandstone. The region

is also home to the

Mars Desert Research

Station, a two-storey

stand-in for a potential

Martian research

station, complete with

simulated air locks. More

than 1,200 people have

participated in two-to-

three-week missions at

the station since 2001.

The Mars Society, which

advocates for sending

humans to Mars as soon

as possible, regularly

recruits volunteers

for future mission

simulations.

EXPLORE MORE

Kennedy Space Center

Merritt Island, Florida

At the legendary site

of the Apollo 11 liftoff,

visitors can see the

launch pads, meet an

astronaut, and join

the Astronaut Training

Experience, which

mimics a mission to

Mars with launching,

landing, and space

walking. Kennedy.

spacecenter.com

At the Mars Desert

Research Station

near Hanksville,

Utah, a crew member

contends with gravity

during a simulated

space walk.

JULY 2019 | NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIA 37

PLACES WE LOVE

U TAH

CASSANDRA KLOS