ESA uses terrestrial rocks to recreate the Moon’s surface

Written by Copernical Team Tuesday, 19 December 2023 09:14

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Two state-of-the-art ESA facilities are working closely to develop a simulated lunar environment that will serve as a proving ground for future exploration technologies.

The team was made up of scientists from the VULCAN Facility, located at ESA’s site in the UK, and the LUNA Facility, located at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre in Germany.

Both centres, set to be inaugurated during 2024, are supporting the agency’s preparations for a sustainable, long-term human and robotic presence on Earth’s natural satellite.

Currently under development with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), LUNA will host a range of cutting-edge facilities including two testbeds that replicate the layer of rock and powdery dust – known as regolith – that blankets the Moon’s surface.