How to Get to the Moon While Staying on Earth? This Simulator Recreates Lunar Conditions

A new facility in Germany accurately simulates the conditions that future Moon mission participants will face. It even has its own sun.

In one of the old warehouses on the outskirts of a German city, there's a "portal to space." More precisely, stepping into this building will transport you to the Moon, placing you in an environment as close as possible to the conditions on Earth's satellite.

Here, the European Space Agency (ESA) has created LUNA, a unique complex that simulates the lunar surface and other conditions with unprecedented accuracy. This space will allow future lunar mission participants to practice the skills and test the technologies necessary for successful Moon exploration.

Located next to ESA's European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, this facility is far more than just a film set. Scientists have developed a complex ecosystem spanning 700 square meters that replicates the harsh lunar environment with incredible precision.

Once inside, you'll find yourself under a black cosmic sky, with soil beneath your feet made from 900 tons of processed basalt specially developed by ESA. This material mimics the physical properties of real lunar dust. Visitors can walk or drive a space rover over hills and even encounter lunar craters.

The regolith dust here is incredibly fine, just like real lunar soil, which poses a significant challenge for astronauts. It easily becomes airborne with the slightest movement, coating equipment, infiltrating mechanisms, and even posing health risks to astronauts. The facility can freeze this soil to a depth of three meters, allowing for testing technologies that could extract water ice from deep lunar layers.

Additionally, the facility will soon feature a powerful artificial "sun" capable of simulating the lighting changes during a lunar day. A special suspension system integrated into the complex will enable astronauts to prepare for working on the Moon and adapt to the weak lunar gravity, which is just 17% of Earth's.

Beyond its use for astronaut training, LUNA offers a unique opportunity for researchers and engineers to experiment with new technologies and strategies that could one day be used to build sustainable lunar habitats.