Extreme Lunar Conditions Need an Extreme Test Rig

A visualization showing Shackleton Crater at the Lunar South Pole. Environmental conditions here will require well-tested materials for landers, instruments, and astronaut spacesuits. Courtesy: Ernie Wright (USRA): Lead Visualizer David Ladd (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.): Lead Producer David Ladd (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.): Narrator Noah Petro (NASA/GSFC): Scientist Laurence Schuler (ADNET Systems, Inc.): Technical Support

When people eventually head to the Moon for long-term exploration and habitation, they’ll need equipment and habitats made of well-tested materials. That’s where NASA’s Lunar Environment Test Rig (LESTR) comes in handy. It simulates extreme cold lunar night conditions right here in a NASA Glenn lab, testing equipment in temperatures ranging from 40K to 125K (-233 C to -148 C) in a vacuum.

This post was originally published on this site

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*