ESA launches new lunar simulation facility

Jointly operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the the German Aerospace Agency (DLR), LUNA will enable research and testing of space technology under conditions analogous to those found on the Moon. Its 700-square-metre area replicates the lunar surface using 900 tonnes of basalt-derived volcanic grains and rocks, processed to create a ‘regolith simulant’ material. 

LUNA’s deep floor area will allow for drilling and sampling up to three metres below the surface, including on segments of regolith that will replicate frozen lunar soil. Meanwhile, a Sun simulator mimics the day and night cycles on the Moon, including the testing lighting conditions found at lunar polar regions. Future additions to the facility include a gravity offloading system to simulate the Moon’s reduced gravity and an adjustable ramp for testing mobility on lunar slopes.

"The opening of LUNA marks a significant milestone in Europe’s space exploration efforts,” said Josef Aschbacher, ESA director general.

“This unique facility, with its ability to replicate lunar conditions, advances our understanding of the Moon and prepares us for future missions. We are proud to lead this project, which positions Europe at the forefront of lunar exploration and beyond, while also fostering international collaboration in space research.”

LUNA’s control rooms are linked in real-time to mission control centres in Germany and worldwide, and the facility has been designed as an open hub available to agencies, academics, and space sector businesses from across the world. In the future, it’s claimed the analogue facility could also be connected to the Lunar Gateway, or even the Moon itself for mission simulations.

"LUNA will contribute to optimising our preparations for activities on the lunar surface through research into technologies and innovation for space exploration,” said Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, chair of the DLR Executive Board.

“This involves robotics as well as artificial intelligence, the utilisation of local resources and resource-conserving cycles all the way through to regenerative energy systems. LUNA provides a unique array of elements for scientific research and technological development under one roof. In its role as the ‘Moon on Earth’, LUNA will sustainably support activities on the Moon from Germany."