There are 900 tons of crushed volcanic rock at this facility. LUNA is located at the European Astronautics Center near Cologne.
Scientists plan to simulate the low-gravity environment of the moon with the help of mobile carts that are attached to the ceiling and repeat the movements of a rover or a suspended astronaut.
ESA astronaut Alexander Hirst said the project would offer "most of the aspects we would encounter on the Moon."
"It's the surface, it's moon dust, rocks, lighting. We will be working in spacesuits that restrict our movement, restrict our view,” he said.
What is the ESA Moon Mission
The installation known as LUNA (Lunar Analog) provides an imitation of regolith in the hall, which is spread over an area of 700 square meters.
Here, astronauts from ESA, NASA and other space agencies can practice life in lunar-like conditions in this facility.
"We have about 900 tonnes of regolith-mimicking material to simulate the dusty environment and mobility on the surface," said Jürgen Schlutz, LUNA engineer and head of lunar strategy at the European Space Agency.
Scientists created 700 square meters of artificial regolith using volcanic soil from the Eifel region in Germany, Italy's Mount Etna and rocks from Norway.
Astronauts Matthias Maurer and Thomas Peske also said that the object reproduces the sun's glow, which will interfere with the vision of the astronauts when they fly to the moon.
They also showed how they would explore a crater on the moon and collect samples. The rig will have cables attached to the astronauts' spacesuits that will pull them back when they walk and suspend them when they jump. The project is at the prototype stage.
ESA has won three spots in the NASA-led Artemis program, which will launch in 2030. Currently, it depends on NASA and other organizations to send its astronauts into space.