Verification & Validation

Laboratory Facilities

Orbital

  • Zero-G Lab - Facility at the University of Luxembourg designed for testing 2D and 3D free-floating robotic systems in microgravity conditions. Its dark room features a 5x3 m flat epoxy floor on which pneumatic platforms use pressurized air to emulate free-floating behaviour in a 2D plane, while wall- and ceiling-mounted articulated robotic arms on linear rails extend the workspace into 3D. The lab is equipped with adjustable illumination and a motion capture system.

Planetary

  • LunaLab - Moon analogue facility at the University of Luxembourg. It features an indoor 11x7 m area filled with 20 t of basalt gravel to emulate the surface of the Moon. LunaLab is equipped with adjustable illumination and a motion capture system to support the development and testing of lunar rovers.

Terrestrial Analogue Sites

  • Mount Etna (Italy) - Active volcano with fresh volcanic soils and lava flows, serving as an excellent analogue for the Moon and Mars. ESA and DLR have tested several rovers and robotic operations at this site.