Georgia Tech students build moon-like lab to test robots for future missions

Georgia Tech | MGN

Inside a lab on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus, students are taking the first steps toward the moon without ever leaving Atlanta.

A team of aerospace engineering students is using a specialized research facility designed to mimic the lunar surface, allowing them to test robots and technology that could one day support astronauts during future moon missions.

The facility, known as the Lu’s Navigation and Autonomous Robotics (LUNAR) Lab, is built to recreate the harsh environment astronauts face on the moon. The lab’s surface is covered with about seven tons of mineral rocks to simulate lunar soil, while bright lighting replicates the intense glare of sunlight on the moon.

“Our goal is to actually make sure this is close enough to cast the autonomy in robotics. So we have simulated it to do that,” said Professor Yashwanth Nakka, who leads the project.

Students are developing rovers and humanoid robots that can explore the moon’s surface without constant human control. Researchers say these machines could map terrain, identify landing zones, and search for resources such as water, all critical steps before astronauts return.

“Coming back to the moon, there is going to be a whole lot of new research that needs to be done, and it all has to be autonomous,”  said aerospace engineering student Kurt Gugelev-Shapiro. “Before, astronauts could only explore a few miles at a time.”

These robots could operate for years and gather far more information.

Researchers are also studying how robots walk and move in lunar conditions to better understand how astronauts might navigate the terrain.

The lab opened only a few months ago and will serve as a testing ground for robotics research related to space exploration, as well as applications on Earth such as search-and-rescue operations and autonomous navigation.

Georgia Tech officials say the research reflects the growing importance of aerospace technology in the state. According to state data, aerospace products are Georgia’s top export, generating more than $16 billion in 2025 and supporting hundreds of companies across the industry.

Students involved in the project say the work brings them one step closer to a dream many of them have had since childhood: helping humanity return to the moon.