#Emmanuel Jaquez

A Giant Leap: A Personal Journey in the Steps of an Astronaut

In April 2022, I stepped into the shoes of an astronaut. Teams of NASA scientists gathered at the Potrillo Volcanic Field in New Mexico for a week’s worth of research to help send a crew of astronauts back to the Moon and other worlds. I was fortunate enough to test out new methods that astronauts would use on a future mission to the moon, such as spacewalking or extravehicular activity (EVA). It was my job to find the basalt layer of rock some seven meters down into the earth for drilling in a seismic experiment.

How Study of Volcanoes Unearths Mysteries of Planets

The earth has untold tales throughout its history – and so do other planets. Scientists like Ernie Bell of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center hope to uncover the stories embedded in the earth to help people gain a better understanding of other planets. That’s the premise that brought teams of scientists to check out seismic activity at Potrillo Volcanic Field in southern New Mexico.