Purpose and Functions of the Reduced Gravity Laboratory

The laboratory at the AGH Faculty of Civil Engineering and Resource Management is used for researching many types of materials, from construction materials to fine and coarse-grained soils. Its unique conditions allow for analysing material behaviours analogous to rocks on Earth and other rocky planets under the influence of reduced gravity. These tests help scientists understand the interactions between a lander and the surface of a small celestial body.

Impact on future space exploration

Professor Marek Cała, Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Resource Management, emphasises the importance of this research for the future. By understanding the impact of different gravitational conditions on materials’ strength and deformation parameters, these studies can provide key information for planning future space missions. This can be applied in material engineering, space mining, and construction.

Future Applications and Discoveries

The work of PhD student Malwina Kolano is focused on preparing for future space missions and studying the properties of cosmic substrates, which is a key aspect of planning the settlement of other planets. Her research concerns the influence of microgravity conditions on the physical and mechanical parameters of various soils, including sands, dust or clays.

Simulation and penetration technologies

The laboratory uses simulants – materials that imitate conditions on other celestial bodies, which can be natural or artificial, and penetrators used to delve into the studied materials. These experiments help scientists understand what parameters devices used for drilling space should have, as well as the characteristics of the regolith covering the surface of celestial bodies.

Exceptional research conditions in the Laboratory

A unique aspect of the research at the AGH laboratory is conducting it under conditions of reduced gravity, which is achieved by dropping material with different acceleration. A special drop tower, over 5 meters high, allows a 4-meter flight of the payload, adjusting accelerations to the conditions prevailing on Mars or the Moon. Observations of the behavior of materials in these specific conditions can bring significant discoveries for future space exploration.

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