Advanced Facility for Space Exploration (AFSE)
- A Large-Scale Indoor Lunar Surface Simulation Facility -
The Advanced Facility for Space Exploration (AFSE) is a research and testing facility that supports technology development for future lunar exploration missions. By providing an environment that simulates lunar terrain and illumination conditions, the facility enables performance verification and technology demonstrations of rovers, landers, and other exploration systems under conditions that closely resemble those expected during actual lunar missions.
The large-scale indoor experimental facility AFSE at the JAXA Sagamihara Campus began operation in May 2017. At its core is the "Space Exploration Field," a simulated lunar environment designed to reproduce lunar surface topography and illumination conditions. The facility provides a comprehensive research and development environment for the verification and evaluation of technologies required for future lunar exploration.
As an integrated indoor test site, the facility supports a wide range of activities, including performance verification, operational testing, and technology demonstrations involving rovers, landers, and multi-robot systems. Serving as a key center for technology development for Japan’s lunar exploration efforts, it enables validation under realistic mission conditions and contributes to advancing future lunar exploration capabilities.
Features
- Supports performance verification, functional testing, operational testing, and multi-robot coordination testing using full-scale rovers, landers, and other exploration systems. The facility is among the largest of its kind in the world in terms of floor area and ceiling height.
- Provides stable and repeatable simulation of lunar and planetary surface conditions regardless of weather, with controlled temperature and humidity, blackout capability, and specialized lighting systems.
- Supports a wide range of technology demonstrations, including mobility tests, landing and drop tests, flight tests, and mission operation tests.
- Provides a highly flexible research environment supported by auxiliary facilities such as catwalks and an overhead crane.
Main Facilities
- Indoor Test Field (Space Exploration Field): 400 m² (22.6 m × 17.7 m) with a ceiling height of 10.5 m.
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Simulated terrain composed of:
- 410 tons of fine silica sand (grain size 0.3–0.6 mm)
- 15 tons of coarse silica sand (grain size 3–5 mm)
- The terrain can be reconfigured to create flat surfaces, slopes, and gravel-covered areas, with temperature and humidity controlled within the facility.
- Blackout chamber and solar-simulation lighting system using xenon lamps.
- Two control rooms adjacent to the indoor test field for operating rovers and other exploration systems.
- Observation and maintenance walkways above the test area, catwalks, and an overhead crane with a lifting capacity of 2.8 tons.
Contact Information:
For inquiries regarding the facility, please contact:
SE-field@jaxa.jp