Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig

[NASA]

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig simulates the intense cold of the lunar night, ranging from 40 Kelvin (K) to 125 K while maintaining a vacuum environment. This creates a tool by which scientists and engineers can test materials, electronics, and flight hardware for future Moon and Mars missions, characterizing their behaviors at these temperatures while also validating their ability to meet design requirements.

Cryogenic engineer Adam Rice tests the Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig to simulate the thermal-vacuum conditions of the lunar night on Thursday, May 22, 2025.

NASA/Jef Janis

Facility Overview

The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig (LESTR) approaches the problem of creating a simulated lunar environment by departing from typical fluid immersion or jacketed-and-chilled chamber systems. It does this by using a cryocooler to reject heat and bring the test section to any point desired by the test engineer, as low as 40 K or as high as 125 K in a vacuum environment. By combining high vacuum and cryogenic temperatures, LESTR enables safe, accurate, and cost-effective testing of materials and hardware destined for the Moon and beyond. Its modular setup supports a wide range of components — from spacesuits to rover wheels to electronics — while laying the foundation for future Moon and Mars mission technologies.

Quick Facts

LESTR is a cryogenic mechanical test system built up within a conventional load frame with the goal of providing a tool to simulate the thermal-vacuum conditions of the lunar night to engineers tasked with creating the materials, tools, and machinery to succeed in NASA’s missions.

• LESTR replicates extreme lunar night environments — including temperatures as low as 40 K and high vacuum (<5×10⁻⁷ Torr) — enabling true-to-space testing without liquid cryogens.
• Unlike traditional “wet” methods, LESTR uses a cryocooler and vacuum system to create an environment accurate to the lunar surface.
• From rover wheels to spacesuits to electronics, LESTR supports static and dynamic testing across a wide range of Moon and Mars mission hardware.

• With scalable architecture and precision thermal control, LESTR lays critical groundwork for advancing the technologies of NASA’s Artemis missions and beyond.

Capabilities

Specifications

• Temperature Range: 40 K to 125 K
• Load Capacity: ~10 kN
• Vacuum Level: <5×10⁻⁷ Torr
• Test Volume (Cold Box Dimensions): 7.5 by 9.5 by 11.5 inches
• Maximum Cycle Rate: 100 Hz
• Time to Vacuum:
  • 10⁻⁵ Torr in less than one hour
  • 10⁻⁶ Torr in four hours

Features

• Dry cryogenic testing (no fluid cryogen immersion)
• “Dial-a-temperature” control for precise thermal conditions
• Integrated optical extensometer for strain imaging
• Digital image correlation and electrical feedthroughs support a variety of data collection methods
• Native support for high-duration cyclic testing

Applications

• Cryogenic Lifecycle Testing: fatigue, fracture, and durability assessments
• Low-Frequency Vibration Testing: electronics qualification for mobility systems
• Static Load Testing: material behavior characterization in lunar-like environments
• Suspension and Drivetrain Testing: shock absorbers, wheels, springs, and textiles
• Textiles Testing: evaluation of spacesuits and habitat fabrics
• Dynamic Load Testing: up to 10 kN linear capacity, 60 mm stroke

Contact

Cryogenic and Mechanical Evaluation Lab Manager: Andrew Ring
216-433-9623
Andrew.J.Ring@nasa.gov

LESTR Technical Lead: Ariel Dimston
216-433-2893
Ariel.E.Dimston@nasa.gov

Using Our Facilities

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland provides ground test facilities to industry, government, and academia. If you are considering testing in one of our facilities or would like further information about a specific facility or capability, please let us know.

Gallery

The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig simulates the intense cold of the lunar night on Friday, June 6, 2025.

NASA/Steven Logan

The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig uses a cryocooler to reject heat and bring the test section as low as 40 Kelvin in a vacuum environment on Thursday, May 22, 2025.

NASA/Jef Janis

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