Home Business Space Colorado School Of Mines Launc...

Colorado School Of Mines Launches Lunar Simulator for Autonomous Exploration Technology

Space

Business Honor - Lunar Simulator Boosts Exploration

Business Honor
14 August, 2025

Colorado School of Mines unveils lunar simulator to advance autonomous tech for future Moon missions.

The Colorado School of Mines debuted a new facility that will simulate the lunar surface, enhancing vital research in support of future lunar exploration missions. The Mines Lunar Surface Simulator is now online and offers an innovative testing platform for a range of lunar technologies, including rovers, excavation tools, and landing/launch pad systems.

The simulator is at the forefront of NASA's Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) initiative, aimed at building robotic systems for readying the Moon's surface for human and robot exploration. Ian Jehn, adjunct professor at the Colorado School of Mines and structural engineer focusing on lunar infrastructure, highlighted how this facility will enhance the efficacy and safety of future lunar missions. "We utilize it nearly every day on one project or another," Jehn said.

Among the initiatives being piloted at the facility is the Autonomous Site Preparation: Excavation, Compacting, and Testing (ASPECT) project. For surface compacting, boulder transportation, and regolith excavation, ASPECT uses a fully autonomous rover equipped with advanced machinery. The primary goal of the rover is to demonstrate autonomous lunar site preparation, which is essential to building sustainable infrastructure on the moon.

The facility also has special engineering hurdles to overcome. Chris Dreyer, Mines Center for Space Resources director of engineering, described the logistical challenges in obtaining more than 110 tons of lunar regolith simulant, a key ingredient in establishing a realistic test environment. "We wanted to construct a big facility with high-quality geotechnical lunar simulant, and that was logistically challenging to produce a lot at a reasonable price," Dreyer said.

This simulator supports the global endeavor to create safer, more effective robotic systems for space missions in addition to NASA's goal of lunar exploration. One of the main factors in preparing people for the difficulties of living and working on the moon may be the advancements made at the Colorado School of Mines.