Development and characterization of a regional lunar soil simulant for emirates lunar missions

Lunar soil simulants (LSS) have been pivotal in the success of past and current lunar missions. They have enhanced the design of lander and rover wheels through interaction studies on the lunar testbed under simulated environmental conditions. They have also been used to evaluate the geotechnical, geomechanical, and dynamic characteristics of the lunar soil (LS), which is vital for future lunar outposts. While most simulants have focused on either the chemical and mineralogical or geotechnical properties, developing a comprehensive LSS that mimics the lunar soil is of paramount importance for lander and rover soft-landing and future lunar habitation. This article presents the significant development and characterization of the new LSS NYUAD-1, the first regional soil simulant tailored for the planned Emirates lunar missions. The material and geotechnical properties of NYUAD-1, including chemical composition, mineralogy, particle size, morphology, specific gravity, density, shear strength, and compressibility behaviors, were assessed through laboratory tests conducted per ASTM standards. Comparative analysis with authentic lunar regolith and various regolith simulants confirms the significance and applicability of NYUAD-1 for lunar-based research, offering a promising step toward future lunar habitation.