Interstellar Innovation has become the first company to produce an Australian-made high-fidelity lunar regolith simulant. The company has successfully supplied multiple tonnes of the material to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) for use in their cutting-edge Moonyard test bed, supporting Australia’s role in the global return to the Moon.
Lunar regolith, the layer of fine dust and fragmented rock that blankets the Moon’s surface, poses both opportunities and challenges for future space exploration. The ability to replicate this material here on Earth is critical for testing space technologies, developing construction techniques, and preparing systems for operation on the lunar surface.
“This delivery marks not only a first for Australia but also a significant step forward for our space industry,” said Dr Nicholas Barnett, CEO at Interstellar Innovation. “By producing high-fidelity lunar regolith simulant locally, we are equipping Australian researchers and engineers with the tools they need to contribute to humanity’s next giant leap.”
Professor Serkan Saydam, Chair of Mining Engineering at UNSW Sydney and Deputy Director of ACSER said, “The delivery of high-fidelity lunar regolith simulant to UNSW’s Moonyard Test Bed in our Space Resources Environmental Analogue Facility is a game-changer for Australia’s space capabilities. For the first time, we can conduct realistic large- scale testing of rover mobility, excavation, and resource utilisation right here at UNSW. This collaboration positions UNSW and Australia to play a leading role in NASA’s Artemis program and in building the technologies needed for a sustainable human presence on the Moon.”
Image: Dr Barnett in the mobile regolith Lab
