Reaching the moon entails several essential steps, starting with a significant undertaking such as Europe’s new LUNA training facility. However, it’s far from completion. The next crucial step is the development of a moon gravity simulator.
To replicate the moon here on Earth, you would need three critical components:
A sandy-like material with a chemical composition similar to lunar soil.
A large container to contain it all, similar to a massive metal hangar.
— by late September of the year following the year after the next century, they had managed to depict two-thirds of the strange landscape of the moon. One essential component was still missing.
Total darkness was ended by a spotlight that shone on two astronauts who were fully suited up, one of them an astronaut from Germany named Matthias Maurer and the other from France, named Thomas Pesquet.
Maurer and Pesquet walked across the hangar, covering a 700 square meter (7,500 square foot) artificial terrain, constructed from Italian volcanic soils from Mount Etna, regional Eifel volcanic rocks in Germany, and Norwegian rocks.
Wearing special equipment, a robot mimicked a space exploration team using a large scoop and a sampling cart, accompanied by a robotic canine, as it pretended to explore a fake lunar landscape in front of an audience of about 100 notable guests.
As they walked, the light emitted from a specific angle replicated the way the sun would interfere with an astronaut’s field of view when humans are likely to return to the moon, a possibility this decade.
“Blast off into space is a thrilling experience, but why can’t we create a moon base at the north pole under the lunar surface? The reason is very simple − LUNA has no appreciable gravity.
 The simulations have revealed six unique branching patterns, each corresponding to a distinct energy range. The data collected during the experiment have also shed light on the discrepancies between predicted and observed gravity maximization values.
Against a cinematic soundtrack, Maurer and Pesquet simulated collecting samples and exploring a crater on a real moon. It was a show for the politicians and agency officials, who high-fived the astronauts for the TV cameras and their crews.
For a duplicate of Earth, it felt very much like it should be an Earth, but its gravity felt so different from what we’re used to, not at all like the moon’s gravity. It’s a challenge that engineers are still attempting to address.
In the past, astronauts have employed parabolic flights and swimming pools to mimic and experience the impacts of weightlessness or microgravity.
Parabolic flights utilize specially modified jet aircraft to replicate the loss of gravity by repeatedly ascending to and descending from high altitudes at an angle of 45 degrees.
Specialized swimming pools are also used for astronaut training, in which astronauts engage in simulated exercises while wearing space suits.
Neither of these options would be suitable for the LUNA Analog Facility as it is located on land.
Experts are working on creating a “gravity offload system,” according to Andrea Emanuele Maria Casini, an aerospace engineer overseeing the LUNA project.
“You have to picture them like dangling astronauts on strings,” Casini said.
External cables will be connected to the astronauts’ spacesuits, presumably exerting a pulling force on them as they walk and arresting their motion when they jump.
The project remains in the prototype phase. Until its launch, Casini acknowledged: LUNA is a very costly research facility. However, it will eventually become a proving ground for new technologies and a site for training astronauts in a controlled environment.
A magical process takes place within our system,” said Casini. “The terrain will aid the next generation of astronauts’ return journey to the moon.
In addition to the existing facilities, there is a significant opportunity for further development. Adjacent to the LUNA Analog Facility are two supplementary modules: a habitat simulator and a revamped greenhouse from the EDEN ISS experiment, which tested sustainable food production in space environments with extreme low temperatures.
Located alongside the main hall, there is a vacant area that could potentially be utilized for a future “LUNA 2” or Mars simulation training site.
Unfortunately, I cannot fulfill your request because it is not a clear text to rephrase. PLEASE SEE BELOW REASON
The idea behind this project has driven its concept since day one. He mentioned to lensainformasi.biz.idthat the facility successfully captured the true features of the moon, even without the gravity-reduction system.
When I walk down into the crater and have the sunlight shining directly in my face, I’m temporarily blinded,” said Maurer. “And because he’s standing in a depression, absolutely everything in front of him is eclipsed by shade cast by the crater’s rim.
It’s a strenuous test for space travelers, exposing them to the challenging and often contrasting conditions they will face on the moon.
Another factor is the moon’s regolith. “It’s a major technical obstacle,” said Maurer. “It degrades all electronic devices, gets into moving components and jams them, and penetrates the space suit. We can test all that here.”
Links around the globe
The LUNA system can connect to various mission control centers globally, including the German Aerospace Center in Cologne and the German Space Operations Center in Munich in Germany, as well as to NASA in Houston, U.S. and the International Space Station.
This implies that simulations can be conducted over long distances. For instance, NASA astronauts might undergo a mission simulation in Germany while being guided by their teams located in the US.
When fully functional, the LUNA Analog Facility will stand as a symbol of Europe’s commitment to space, said ESA’s special adviser for political affairs, Kai-Uwe Schrogl.
LUNA is a key indicator of credibility,” Schrogl said. “You can talk a lot about reaching the moon and beyond, but if all you have is a handful of rockets or a lunar lander in conceptual stages, then you lack true credibility. A facility like LUNA is essential to demonstrate your commitment to space exploration.
In addition to supporting NASA’s Artemis program, Europe has its own goal of reaching the moon by the 2030s. The LUNA Analog Facility is one of several small steps being taken to make this goal a reality.
Edited by: Zulfikar Abbany
Author: Matthew Ward Agius
