2 min read<\/p>\n
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/nasas-c-130-at-wallops-flight-facility.jpg?w=900\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nNASA\u2019s C-130 Hercules is prepared for departure from NASA\u2019s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, on October 15, 2024, for a cargo transport mission to India. The C-130 is supporting the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission.<\/div>\nNASA\/Madison Griffin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nNASA\u2019s globetrotting C-130 Hercules team is carrying out a cargo transport mission to Bengaluru, India, in support of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission.<\/p>\n
The C-130 departed from NASA\u2019s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Tuesday, Oct. 15, to embark on the multi-leg, multi-day journey. The flight path will take the aircraft coast to coast within the United States, across the Pacific Ocean with planned island stops, and finally to its destination in India. The goal: safely deliver NISAR\u2019s radar antennae reflector, one of NASA\u2019s contributions to the mission, for integration on the spacecraft. NISAR<\/a> is a joint mission between NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation).<\/p>\nThe cargo transport mission will encompass approximately 24,500 nautical miles and nearly 80 hours of flight time for the C-130 and crew. The flight plan includes strategic stops and rest days to service the aircraft and reduce crew fatigue from long-haul segments of the flight and multiple time zone changes.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/wff-2024-098-004.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nThe flight crew inspects the aircraft prior to departure from NASA Wallops.<\/div>\nNASA\/Madison Griffin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/wff-2024-098-009.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nThe C-130\u2019s cargo compartment has plenty of space to hold the more than 2,800-pound payload containing the radar antennae reflector once retrieved from California.<\/div>\nNASA\/Madison Griffin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe first stop for the C-130 was March Air Reserve Base located in Riverside County, California, to retrieve the radar antennae reflector from NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Additional stops during the mission include Hickman Air Force Base, Hawaii; Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; Clark Air Base, Philippines; and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Airport in Bengaluru, India.<\/p>\n
This is the C-130 and crew\u2019s third cargo transport to India in support of the NISAR mission, with prior flights in July 2023 and March 2024.<\/p>\n
For more information, visit nasa.gov\/wallops<\/a>.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/nasas-c-130-at-wallops-flight-facility.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>NASA\u2019s globetrotting C-130 Hercules team is carrying out a cargo transport mission to Bengaluru, India, in support of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission.<\/p>\n
The C-130 departed from NASA\u2019s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Tuesday, Oct. 15, to embark on the multi-leg, multi-day journey. The flight path will take the aircraft coast to coast within the United States, across the Pacific Ocean with planned island stops, and finally to its destination in India. The goal: safely deliver NISAR\u2019s radar antennae reflector, one of NASA\u2019s contributions to the mission, for integration on the spacecraft. NISAR<\/a> is a joint mission between NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation).<\/p>\n The cargo transport mission will encompass approximately 24,500 nautical miles and nearly 80 hours of flight time for the C-130 and crew. The flight plan includes strategic stops and rest days to service the aircraft and reduce crew fatigue from long-haul segments of the flight and multiple time zone changes.<\/p>\n The first stop for the C-130 was March Air Reserve Base located in Riverside County, California, to retrieve the radar antennae reflector from NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Additional stops during the mission include Hickman Air Force Base, Hawaii; Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; Clark Air Base, Philippines; and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Airport in Bengaluru, India.<\/p>\n This is the C-130 and crew\u2019s third cargo transport to India in support of the NISAR mission, with prior flights in July 2023 and March 2024.<\/p>\n For more information, visit nasa.gov\/wallops<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/figure><\/a><\/figure>