Neutral Buoyancy Simulator, historic astronaut training facility
The Neutral Buoyancy Simulator is a large underwater training pool in Madison County where astronauts practice in a controlled environment. The facility contains replicas of spacecraft components and allows trainees to experience simulated weightlessness while working through complex tasks.
The facility was established to provide astronauts with realistic training opportunities in water that mimics space conditions. This represented a major shift in how space explorers prepared for missions beyond Earth.
The facility welcomes visitors who can observe astronaut training from designated viewing areas. It helps to spend time learning about the various training scenarios and the setup during a visit.
The depth and scale of the pool allow multiple spacecraft mockups to be housed at the same time. This enables several teams to train in parallel and practice different scenarios simultaneously.
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