Reaching the moon involves numerous incremental advancements, such as Europe’s recently established LUNA training center. However, more work remains to be done. The next milestone will be developing a moon gravity simulation facility.
If you aimed to replicate the Moon here on Earth, you'd require these three key components:
a substance similar to regolith ( lunar soil ) in chemical makeup with a sandy texture specialized illumination replicating the sun’s angle a device simulating the moon's gravitational pull (which is one-sixth that of Earth's)And an enormous container to hold everything, resembling a gigantic steel shed.
When the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the European Space Agency (ESA) presented their interpretation of the moon — the LUNA Analog Facility In late September 2024, they had progressed two-thirds of the way toward depicting the moon's enigmatic terrain. However, one key component was still absent.
Darkness enveloped everything until a spotlight illuminated two space-suited astronauts — Germany’s Matthias Maurer and France’s Thomas Pesquet.
Maurer and Pesquet traversed the hangar, which spanned an area of 700 square meters (approximately 7,500 square feet) filled with simulated lunar soil. This material was sourced from the volcanic terrains of Italy’s Mount Etna, the Eifel district in Germany, as well as stones from Norway.
Armed with extended scoops, a mock-up moon buggy, and a robotic canine companion, the duo simulated an exploration mission across the artificial lunar terrain for roughly 100 VIPs observing nearby.
As they strolled along, the lighting was positioned precisely to mimic how the sun might blind astronauts during their potential return to the moon this decade.
But they walked — they didn't float as seen in video clips from The 1969 Apollo 11 space mission — Because LUNA lacks lunar gravity.
Gravity simulation: The missing component of the LUNA mystery
To the backdrop of a cinematic score, Maurer and Pesquet showcased how they would gather samples and investigate a crater on the actual lunar surface. This demonstration served as an impressive display for the attending politicians and space agency representatives, who celebrated with the astronauts through televised hand bumps and camera shots directed at their teams.
Yet it seemed so terrestrial due to its lack of lunar-gravity-like effects. This is an issue that the engineers haven't managed to resolve yet.
Previously, astronauts relied on parabolic flights and swimming pools to mimic and get accustomed to the conditions of zero or microgravity.
During parabolic flights, modified jets achieve weightlessness by climbing to and diving from peak heights at an angle of 45 degrees.
Swimming pools used for astronaut training are specifically designed, with astronauts conducting simulated activities in their suits.
However, none of these alternatives would be feasible for use in the LUNA Analog Facility since it is located on solid ground.
Rather than that, engineers aim to create a "gravity compensation system," as stated by Andrea Emanuele Maria Casini, an aerospace engineer overseeing the LUNA initiative.
"As if you were suspending the astronauts like marionettes," Casini explained.
Wires will be connected to the outside of the astronauts' space suits, probably exerting tension as they walk and holding them up when they leap.
The project remains in the prototype stage. Until its debut, Casini concurred: LUNA is an extremely costly sandbox. However, ultimately they will aim to test new technologies and train astronauts within a contained setting.
As the magic unfolds within," stated Casini, "the landscape will assist the upcoming cohort of astronauts as they return to the moon.
Moreover, there is potential for growth. Adjacent to the LUNA Analog Facility, there are two extra components: a habitat simulator and a converted greenhouse from the EDEN ISS project, which tested plant cultivation in frigid extraterrestrial conditions.
Next to the main hall, there's an empty space that could potentially serve as a site for a future "LUNA 2" mission or Mars simulation facility.
The moon was brought down to Earth.
The LUNA Analog Facility has been under development for 12 years. Maurer, who has logged 177 days in orbit, He has been driving this concept since the very beginning. He shared with INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL that the facility accurately portrayed the conditions on the moon, even without utilizing the gravity offload system.
"When I descend into the crater at the facility and am completely exposed to the sun’s rays, I get temporarily blind," Maurer stated. Additionally, since he is inside the crater, the ridge casts a shadow over everything ahead of him, leaving it shrouded in darkness.
This stress test subjects astronauts to challenging and occasionally conflicting situations similar to those they'll face on the lunar surface.
An additional challenge is posed by the Moon's regolith. According to Maurer, this represents a significant technical hurdle. It wreaks havoc with all electronic devices, infiltrates mechanical components causing malfunctions, and even affects spacesuits. However, he notes that we have the capability to simulate these conditions for testing purposes right here on Earth.
Links around the globe
LUNA has the capability to connect with various mission control centers around the globe, including those such as DLR in Cologne and the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) located in Munich, along with facilities like NASA in Houston, USA, and even the International Space Station.
This indicates that simulations might be conducted from afar, allowing NASA astronauts, for instance, to go through a mission rehearsal in Germany, directed by their team based in the United States.
Once operational, the LUNA Analog Facility will serve as a symbol of Europe’s dedication to space exploration, according to Kai-Uwe Schrogl, a special advisor for political affairs at ESA.
LUNA lends credibility," Schrogl stated. "While many speak of venturing to the moon and further into space, having just a handful of rockets or a lunar lander at the conceptual stage isn’t enough. It’s essential to possess such facilities to demonstrate your seriousness about these ambitions.
In addition to supporting NASA’s Artemis mission, Europe aims to reach the Moon by the 2030s with its independent initiatives. Establishing the LUNA Analog Facility represents just one of several smaller efforts toward this objective.
Edited by: Zulfikar Abbany
Author: Matthew Ward Agius
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