NASA launches extensive vacuum-chamber tests of lunar landing plume effects

At NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, engineers have begun a series of plume-surface interaction tests inside a massive 60-foot spherical vacuum chamber to better understand hazards posed by lander engine exhaust on lunar dust, soil and rocks. The first phase uses an ethane plume simulator, designed at Stennis Space Center and operated by Purdue University, delivering about 100 pounds of thrust into a six-and-a-half-foot diameter bin of Black Point-1 regolith simulant, while high-speed cameras and other sensors record crater formation, ejecta angles and particle speeds.

Each test lasts roughly six seconds. A second phase slated for later this year will employ a 14-inch hybrid rocket motor developed at Utah State University and tested at Marshall Space Flight Center, providing around 35 pounds of thrust. Researchers will vary the plume height to simulate different landing scenarios, generating data crucial for refining models used in Artemis IV and future lunar base designs.

The modular setup also allows substitution of a Mars-type simulant and pressure adjustments to emulate Martian conditions, supporting upcoming crewed missions to the Red Planet. Engineers like Ashley Korzun and Daniel Stubbs emphasize that the results will be vital for ensuring astronaut safety and mission success on both the Moon and Mars.