In addition to being used for atomic weapon testing, the Nevada Test Site was also used for training the early Apollo Astronauts. For three days beginning on February 16, 1965, astronauts Neil Armstrong, Dick Gordon, Buzz Aldrin, Dave Scott and Russell "Rusty" Schweikart trained for manned missions to the moon.
The three day mission was carried out at Sedan Crater, Buckboard Mesa and Schooner Crater. Its purpose was to train the men in how to conduct geological and geophysical studies while wearing suits similar to what they would be wearing on the moon. Each day had a different set of mission objectives based on the terrain presented at each location. And each mission was reviewed to ensure that proper training occurred to allow them to meet each objective while on the moon.
In addition to this historic first Nevada training for astronauts, two additional groups were trained in the area starting on February 24th and March 2nd of the same year. The powers that be felt this location offered the most realistic training opportunity available to the astronauts before they actually had to do it for real on the moon. In fact, the training was viewed as such a success - based on actual results that Armstrong and others achieved on the moon that they revisited training in that area of Nevada for future missions.
Training in the area of Schooner crater continued throughout the Apollo program and was an early test area for the moon rover used by the crew of Apollo 16.
This training was valuable for several reasons.
First, it gave the astronauts a chance to practice their missions in a realistic location. Each area was remote and barren just like the surface of the moon would be. Of course, there were not the risks that would be experienced on the moon but it was a very accurate simulation of the real thing.
Second, it was believed and later verified by the actual moon missions that the terrain around Schooner crater and Buckboard Mesa was very similar to locations on the moon that were visited. In fact, this highly realistic training allowed J.W. Young of Apollo 16 to recognize a secondary crater produced by ejects from South Ray crater and for H.H. Schmitt to accurately describe a 600-meter lunar crater in the Haemus Mountains west of Sulpicius Gallus by noting its similarities and differences when compared to one of the Buckboard Mesa craters.
Without this training, the moon missions would not have been nearly as successful as they were. They still would have been an exciting high point in history but the quantity and quality of the scientific portions of the missions would have been much poorer if the astronauts did not invest this training time in a desolate corner of Nevada.
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