NASA Begins Moon Mission Plume-Surface Interaction Tests

NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, has initiated a series of plume-surface interaction tests inside a 60-foot spherical vacuum chamber to study the effects of lander engine plumes on lunar dust and rocks. The tests aim to improve predictive models and inform the design of lunar and Mars-bound spacecraft as NASA prepares for Artemis IV in 2028 and future Moon Base development. Researchers emphasize the importance of understanding these interactions for crew safety and mission success.

The campaign involves multiple NASA centers, academic institutions, and commercial partners, testing two propulsion systems in the vacuum chamber. The first round uses an ethane plume simulation system from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and Purdue University, generating up to 100 pounds of thrust. Instruments capture data on crater formation, ejecta distribution, and regolith particle speeds during six-second test firings into simulated lunar regolith.

A second round of tests later this year will use a 14-inch, 3D-printed hybrid rocket motor developed at Utah State University and tested at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, producing around 35 pounds of thrust. Researchers will vary test heights to simulate different landing and ascent scenarios, providing data applicable to diverse spacecraft designs for lunar and Mars missions.

The test campaign is designed to be adaptable for future Mars missions by replacing lunar regolith simulant with Mars-like sand and adjusting chamber pressure to simulate Martian atmospheric conditions. NASA engineers highlight the campaign’s relevance in validating models to predict plume-surface interactions, ensuring the safety of astronauts and the success of human landing systems for both Moon and Mars missions.