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Goddard Engineering and Technology Directorate

Cryogenic Lunar Environmental Test Lab

Dr. Chullhee Cho (PI, right) and Dr. Eric Silk (left) integrates a soil sample container into the Cryogenic Lunar Environmental Testing Chamber for cryogenic thermophysical property measurements of Engineered Lunar-regolith Composite (ELC) samples.
Dr. Chullhee Cho (PI, right) and Dr. Eric Silk (left) integrates a soil sample container into the Cryogenic Lunar Environmental Testing Chamber for cryogenic thermophysical property measurements of Engineered Lunar-regolith Composite (ELC) samples. Credit NASA.

Enabling Cryogenic Thermal and Electrical Characterization of Engineered Lunar Regolith  

ETD’s Cryogenic Lunar Environmental Test Lab facility represents a groundbreaking capability for NASA’s lunar exploration initiatives, offering unique measurement of thermal conductivity, diffusivity, specific heat, and electrical conductivity of engineered lunar regolith samples under lunar simulated environmental conditions (77K-350K in vacuum). Unlike conventional steady-state measurement approaches, this facility employs transient measurement techniques that significantly reduce equilibration time, minimize energy input, capture dynamic properties, and create simpler boundary conditions with reduced gradients—all while exposing samples to minimal disturbances during testing. This distinctive transient heat-pulse methodology in cryogenic environments provides critical data for understanding how lunar regolith behaves in the extreme temperature variations of the lunar surface, enabling more accurate modeling and design of lunar habitats, thermal management systems, and in-situ resource utilization technologies that will support sustainable human presence on the Moon.

Various fabrication of Engineered Lunar-regolith Composite (ELC) samples: Bare Lunar-simulant JSC-1A soil (right), ELC with phase change material (second from right), ELC with phase change material and carbon-based thermal enhancers of carbon fibers (left) and carbon nanotubes (second from left).
Various fabrication of Engineered Lunar-regolith Composite (ELC) samples: Bare Lunar-simulant JSC-1A soil (right), ELC with phase change material (second from right), ELC with phase change material and carbon-based thermal enhancers of carbon fibers (left) and carbon nanotubes (second from left). Credit by NASA.

Cryogenics and Fluids Branch, supported by Cryogenics Technical Discipline Teams (TDT) initiatives, has successfully demonstrated engineered Lunar Regolith test results designed for ISRU (in-situ Resource Utilization) subsurface thermal and electrical management system proposed for sustainable Lunar surface science and instrument operation, envisioning solutions for surviving long Lunar night.

Cryogenic Lunar Environmental Testing Chamber integrated with Lunar regolith sample container (left), and showing capabilities of fabricating various Lunar simulant soil composites (right, Engineered Lunar regolith Composite, ELC)
Cryogenic Lunar Environmental Testing Chamber integrated with Lunar regolith sample container (left), and showing capabilities of fabricating various Lunar simulant soil composites (right, Engineered Lunar regolith Composite, ELC)

The Cryogenic Lunar Environmental Test Lab is managed by ETD’s Instrument System and Technology Division (ISTD). Contact ISTD for more information.