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Astronauts may be landing in Utah’s West Desert later this year as U.S. prepares to resume spaceflights

Yes, the barren landscape of Dugway Proving Ground — with its fenced, vast, empty, remote, secure and utterly flat terrain — makes it an ideal landing spot for future astronauts to return to Earth when spaceflights resume as soon as this year after an eight-year hiatus following the retirement of NASA’s space shuttle program.

Up to twice a year, these missions’ return voyages could end at Dugway, according to Duane Shields, a program manager at the 800,000-acre weapons-testing installation operated by the U.S. Army 85 miles west of Salt Lake City.

The possibility for Dugway is very good,” Shields said this week.