EXTERRES Laboratory

A space technology lab to test equipment bound for the Moon and Mars.

Space Resource & Rover Lab landscape simulation table with rover

The Extraterrestrial Environmental Simulation (Exterres) Laboratory is the first of its kind in Australia and allows researchers to develop, simulate and test semi-autonomous rovers in lunar and Martian surface environments.

Students are able to undertake real world space technology and robotics projects and understanding how technology will perform when exposed to harsh extra-terrestrial environments.

The Lab is a platform for global cooperation and collaboration across industry, outreach, agencies and other institutions.

Project overview

  • Location: Ground Floor, Engineering North, North Terrace Campus
  • Size: 250m2
  • Architect: ARM Architecture
  • Construction Partner: Sarah Constructions

Features

  • Two Regolith Thermal Vacuum Chambers (rTVAC), including a 9m2 sealed lunar simulant pit and 27m2 sandpit which can be tailored to simulate specific off-world environments.
  • 3D motion capture system that allows detailed analysis of the capabilities of experimental robotics.
  • High-power laser, a vacuum furnace and a box furnace.
  • A large-scale 3-D printer.

Completed: March 2022

Gallery