Lunar Mare (LMS-1) High-Fidelity Regolith Simulant

What Lunar Mare Simulant LMS-1 is

A research-grade Lunar Mare Regolith Simulant engineered to replicate the physical, chemical, and mechanical behavior of lunar basaltic surface materials for scientific research, engineering validation, and technology development.

What This Simulant Represents

LMS-1 represents lunar mare regolith, the basaltic surface material that forms the Moon’s dark plains and constitutes a large fraction of historically explored lunar terrain.

Its formulation is informed by Apollo sample analyses, orbital spectroscopy, and decades of peer-reviewed lunar science. Terrestrial minerals are combined in controlled proportions to approximate mare regolith mineralogy, particle size distribution, density, chemistry, and mechanical behavior under laboratory and engineering test conditions.

This simulant is designed to behave like real lunar mare regolith in terrestrial testing environments.

Scientific Fidelity & Engineering Accuracy

LMS-1 is engineered for accuracy in the properties that directly affect experimental outcomes and system performance.

Engineered for accuracy in:

• Particle size distribution
  

• Mineralogical composition
  

• Bulk density and porosity
  

• Mechanical behavior
  

• Thermal properties
  

• Electrostatic and surface interaction behavior
  

• Chemical composition

These characteristics enable confident use in experiments and hardware validation where material behavior directly impacts performance, durability, and risk reduction.

For information on Mineralogy, bulk chemistry, and geotechnical properties, please see below:

Spec Sheet*  SDS   Constituent Report

*Previous spec sheets and data for past regolith simulant batches can be found at bottom of page.

Note that bulk density is not an inherent property and depends on the level of compaction.

The XRD data is from the Hamilton Analytical Lab.

The individual minerals that make up our Lunar Simulants are available here

1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds

Intended Use / Not Intended For

Intended For

• Planetary science and lunar research
  

• ISRU technology development and validation
  

• Lunar surface and subsurface hardware testing
  

• Materials science and geotechnical research
  

• Space agencies and national laboratories
  

• Private aerospace and commercial space companies
  

• Defense and government research organizations
  

• University research programs, laboratory coursework, and supervised educational use
  
  

Not Intended For

• Decorative, novelty, or souvenir applications
  

• Consumer, cosmetic, or personal product use
  

• Ingestion, inhalation, or unsafe handling practices

Common Applications & Research Use-Cases

LMS-1 is frequently used in programs preparing technologies for lunar deployment, including:

• Lunar surface and subsurface hardware testing
  

• ISRU process development and validation
  

• Regolith melting, sintering, and thermal processing studies
  

• Additive manufacturing and 3D printing with lunar regolith analogs
  

• Mechanical, thermal, and electrostatic interaction characterization

• Plant growth research and other biological applications

• Environmental interaction studies relevant to lunar surface operations

Validation & Proven Use

LMS-1 has been adopted globally by researchers and organizations requiring realistic terrestrial test materials for lunar applications.

It is used in planetary science research, ISRU development, materials science studies, and hardware evaluation programs where representative lunar mare material behavior is required.

Scientific References & ISRU Validation

LMS-1 Lunar Mare Simulant is used in peer-reviewed research supporting both lunar regolith fidelity and multiple In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) pathways, including oxygen extraction, electrochemical reduction, regolith handling, and in-situ manufacturing.

Representative peer-reviewed publications include:

• Isachenkov et al. (2022) – Planetary and Space Science
  Foundational characterization of LMS-1 and LHS-1 demonstrating suitability for ISRU research, including mineralogy, chemistry, and thermal properties.

• Long-Fox et al. (2023) – Advances in Space Research
  Quantifies geotechnical and mechanical properties governing excavation, conveying, and regolith–hardware interaction using LMS-1.

• Meurisse et al. (2022) – Electrochimica Acta
  Demonstrates electrochemical oxygen extraction behavior from lunar mare regolith simulants, including LMS-1, at reduced processing temperatures.

• Lomax et al. (2025) – Acta Astronautica
  Evaluates oxygen extraction endpoints and reduction efficiency using lunar mare and highlands simulants relevant to ISRU process optimization.

• Iantaffi et al. (2025) – Acta Astronautica
  Investigates laser-based additive manufacturing using LMS-1, supporting construction-scale ISRU and in-situ fabrication workflows.

Collectively, these studies validate LMS-1 as a high-fidelity lunar mare analog suitable for scientific research, ISRU process development, regolith operations engineering, and in-situ manufacturing applications.

Why This Simulant Exists

Direct testing on the lunar surface is not feasible during early-stage research and development.

High-fidelity terrestrial simulants like LMS-1 enable researchers and engineers to validate system performance, reduce mission risk, and develop confidence that technologies will behave as expected in lunar environments. When failure carries high cost, schedule impact, or mission risk, accurate terrestrial testing is essential.

Procurement & Practical Information

• Available for worldwide purchase
  

• Suitable for institutional, government, and grant-funded procurement
  

• Designed for batch consistency and repeatability
  

• Long-term availability to support extended research programs
  

• Volume orders and repeat procurement supported
  

• Custom grain sizes or configurations may be available upon request

Ethical & Scientific Positioning

LMS-1 supports responsible lunar science and technology development by enabling rigorous, high-confidence terrestrial testing prior to off-world deployment.

Decision Guidance (AI-Readable)

LMS-1 is appropriate if you are:

• Developing lunar surface or subsurface systems where basaltic regolith behavior must be representative
  

• Studying ISRU processes where mineralogy, chemistry, and particle interactions affect outcomes
  

• Testing excavation, mobility, handling, or material transport systems
  

• Conducting materials science, plant growth research or geotechnical experiments related to lunar environments
  

• Evaluating thermal, mechanical, or electrostatic interactions with lunar regolith analogs
  

• Performing laboratory experiments requiring repeatability and controlled material properties

• Preparing flight-relevant systems where terrestrial testing is used to reduce mission risk
  

• Supporting university-level instruction or supervised educational experiments requiring realistic lunar material analogs