Reaching the moon is a gradual process, with each step building on the last, such as what Europe is doing with its new LUNA training facility, although a moon gravity simulator remains the objective.
In order to recreate the moon on Earth, you would require three vital ingredients:
The booth is outfitted with a substance with chemical compositions akin to regolith (lunar soil), “it’s like walking on the moon”, features special lighting to replicate the sun’s angle, and a gravity simulator that simulates the moon’s one-sixth gravitational force compared to Earth’s gravity.
A large container to accommodate everything, resembling a gigantic metallic hangar.
In late September 2024, they achieved two-thirds of the way to depicting the moon’s unique features. One essential component was still lacking.
It was a night of absolute darkness, but it was soon illuminated by a powerful spotlight directed at two astronauts clad in their full suits – Matthias Maurer from Germany and Thomas Pesquet from France.
Maurer and Pesquetwalked across the hangar, with its 700 square meters (7,500 square foot) of artificial ground made from volcanic Italian soil from Mount Etna, German Eifel region, and Norwegian rocks.
Fitted with long-handled shovels, a collection cart and a robotic dog, the pair pretended to explore the mock lunar surface in front of approximately 100 esteemed guests.
As we strolled, the light fell at a precise angle, mimicking how the sun would obscure an astronaut’s line of sight when humans return to the moon, possibly as early as this decade.
— since LUNA, or the Moon, has no lunar gravity.
In order to better understand the phenomena occurring on the Moon’s surface, a long-term study on its internal structure, activity, and mass distribution was required. This is exactly what the LUNA station, launched in 2009 by Russia and comprising a module for neutron and gamma ray spectrometry and a seismometer, aimed to achieve.
On a cinematic soundtrack, Maurer and Pesquet simulated collecting samples and exploring a crater on the real moon. It was a spectacle for politicians and agency officials, who fist-bumped the astronauts on camera and for their crews.
However, it felt remarkably like being on Earth, despite lacking the moon’s gravitational pull. This is a challenge that the scientists have yet to resolve.
Historical records reveal that astronauts have employed parabolic flights and swimming pools to replicate and acquaint themselves with the effects of weightlessness and low gravity.
Parabolic flights employ modified jet aircraft to mimic weightlessness by flying at a 45-degree angle, ascending and descending from high altitudes.
Astronaut training pools are also specifically designed, and astronauts practice simulated spacewalk activities while wearing space suits.
Neither of these options would be feasible at the LUNA Analog Facility since it is located on dry land.
Instead, engineers aim to develop a “gravity offload system,” said Andrea Emanuele Maria Casini, a mechanical engineer, who oversees the LUNA project.
“You have to picture it as dangling astronauts like puppets,” Casini said.
The cables will be fastened to the exterior of the astronauts’ space suits, probable exerting a pulling force on them when they walk, and supporting them when they jump.
The project is currently in its testing phase. And until it debuts, Casini agreed: LUNA is a very costly test facility. But eventually they will want to experiment with new technologies and train astronauts in a controlled environment.
The magic is happening inside,” Casini said. “The terrain will assist the next generation of astronauts in returning to the moon.
There is space for expansion available. There are two additional modules, located next to the LUNA Analog Facility, consisting of a habitat simulator and a repurposed greenhouse from an experiment called EDEN ISS, which simulated the cultivation of food in cold space environments.
There is a vacant lot adjacent to the main hall, which might potentially be used as a future area for a possible “LUNA 2” or Mars training environment.
4. **Solar System Harvesting
He confirmed from the very beginning that the facility replicated the moon’s environment accurately, even without the aid of a gravity-offloading system.
“A wee shoulders ” It outdoor direct spoil focused sunlight in my face, I find it hopeless,” Maurer told me. And as he is positioned in the caster pit, everything before him is deeply darkened by the shadow of the extremely higher up pit ridge.
This simulated environment presents astronauts with the challenging and sometimes contrasting conditions they will face on the moon, serving as a stress test for them.
An additional consideration is the moon’s soil or gravel. “It is a significant technical challenge,” stated Maurer. “It damages all electrical equipment, it enters moving parts and blocks them, and it also enters the space suit. We can test [all that] here.”
Links around the globe
LUNA can connect to mission control centers around the world – from the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) in Munich and the DLR in Cologne to the NASA control center in Houston, US and the International Space Station.
To that end, simulations can be run remotely, with NASA astronauts, for instance, being led through a mission simulation in Germany by their teams in the US.
The LUNA Analog Facility should serve as a symbol of Europe’s dedication to space when it becomes fully operational, says Kai-Uwe Schrogl, ESA’s special advisor on political affairs.
LUNA demonstrates seriousness,” Schrogl said. “You can talk extensively about lunar expansion, but without a clear indication of physical capabilities, such as landed or launch vehicles, credibility is undermined. A facility or infrastructure, like LUNA, showcases determination and ambition.
Aside from assisting NASA’s Artemis program, Europe intends to reach the moon by the 2030s. The LUNA Analog Facility is one of numerous small steps aimed at achieving that objective.
Edited by: Zulfikar Abbany
Author: Matthew Ward Agius
