LUNA: Europe’s Moon on Earth
ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer walks across the dusty terrain of LUNA, Europe’s Moon on Earth. Nearby, ESA’s Argonaut lander mock-up stands ready as he carefully navigates the simulated regolith – the dust, soil and rock on the Moon’s surface. Alongside a fellow operator, he rehearses a moonwalk under the harsh glare of Sun simulators that mimic lunar lighting to test scientific tools designed to analyse lunar soil and rock.
Published by ESA on 10/20/2025
