southwest, using the distinct terrain as an analog for the lunar surface. Large black boulders mark a landscape that is frequently described as “otherworldly.”ĭuring the Apollo era, NASA came to the area north of Flagstaff regularly, as well as other sites in Arizona and the U.S. The rolling hills of the area are either bare or covered in patchy desert grass.

The Black Point Lava Flow, north of Flagstaff, Arizona, stretches approximately two miles wide, a thick trail of black basaltic lava that flowed east for miles before pooling at edge of the Little Colorado River and forming a thick ridge. The otherworldly footprint of black basaltic lava creates a striking landscape at Black Point Lava Flow in northern Arizona, seen in this photograph taken from the International Space Station. NPR 7120.5 Revision F Rollout Briefing (NASA Only).