On the heels of sending its first lunar test facility to the Moon, Aegis Aerospace Inc. has completed a major milestone on its second lunar test facility. Aegis Aerospace’s first lunar test facility, Regolith Adherence Characterization (RAC), is currently en route to the Moon.
RAC will determine how lunar regolith, or lunar dust, adheres to a range of materials exposed to the lunar environment. The data captured will allow the industry to test, improve, and protect spacecraft, spacesuits, and habitats from abrasive regolith. RAC is integrated on Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
Aegis Aerospace’s second lunar test facility, Space Science & Technology Evaluation Facility (SSTEF), has passed rigorous hardware qualification and acceptance testing taking the company one step closer to launching its second facility to the Moon. SSTEF, which builds on the technology of RAC, is a multi-purpose test facility with power, command, and data connections to host passive materials and active lunar experiments. SSTEF will be integrated on Intuitive Machines’ IM-3 Nova-C lunar lander through a NASA Science & Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Tipping Point award.
“This is an exhilarating time for Aegis Aerospace and the entire space industry as we push the boundaries of lunar exploration,” said Bill Hollister, President of Aegis Aerospace. “With our first lunar test facility on its way to the Moon and a second soon to follow we are proud to advance scientific discovery for government, commercial, and academic partners, driving innovation for our nation and beyond.”
Both RAC and SSTEF lunar test facilities will be in operation for 1 lunar day, or 14 Earth days.
About Aegis Aerospace Inc.
Aegis Aerospace Inc. is a Hispanic woman-owned small business that provides technical services and turn-key solutions to government and commercial customers in the space and defense industries. Formed in 2021 by combining Alpha Space and MEI Technologies, Aegis Aerospace offers over 30 years of success and innovation in technology development and engineering services, commercial space services, and other space and defense products and services. Our Space Testing as a Service (STaaS™) business model is turnkey which enables our customers to focus on their science and new technology development.