NASA's Lunar Development and Test Facility at Johnson Space Center has made a free 3D virtual tour available to the public, offering 360-degree and cross-section views of the lab where Artemis hardware is tested against simulated lunar conditions.
The facility sits inside the Energy Systems Test Area at Johnson Space Center, a few miles from Nassau Bay neighborhoods. Engineers in the Propulsion and Power Division use it to subject spacesuits, spacecraft components and mechanisms with moving parts to lunar regolith simulant, a manufactured substitute for actual Moon soil.
Lunar dust poses a significant challenge for future missions. Unlike sand on Earth, which has been smoothed by wind and water erosion, lunar regolith is sharp, abrasive and clings to nearly everything it touches. Without mitigation, it can damage equipment and spacesuits and pose health risks to astronauts.
What's inside
The facility includes three testing areas: a dust containment and preparation lab for ambient tests, a 3-foot cube vacuum chamber, and a 15-foot thermal vacuum chamber. The chambers use a closed-loop nitrogen system to recreate conditions on the lunar surface.
"The facility helps develop and test technologies needed for long-duration lunar exploration," said Mike Salinas, the division's branch deputy chief, in a NASA feature published Friday, Aug. 7. "Engineers are advancing techniques to extract resources from lunar regolith, which can be turned into oxygen for astronauts and liquid oxygen for rocket propellant."
That resource-extraction process, known as in-situ resource utilization, is part of the broader Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface. Artemis II completed a crewed lunar flyby in April 2026, and Artemis III crew training is underway at Johnson Space Center.
The building
The facility's exterior features a large-scale mural completed in 2024 by artist Sebastian Boileau, depicting astronauts exploring the lunar surface.
NASA's Johnson Space Center promoted the virtual tour on its official X account on July 23, noting that visitors can navigate the facility through immersive views. The post drew more than 35,000 impressions.
The tour is free and requires no login. Visit nasa.gov/johnson/virtual-tours/lunar-development-and-test-facility to explore the facility.
