Standard Mare Basalt Simulant (LMS-1E) - JSC-1A Lineage | Engineering & Bulk Testing

What Lunar Mare Engineering Grade Simulant LMS-1E is

A simplified basaltic lunar mare regolith simulant and successor to NASA’s JSC-1A, engineered for mechanical, hardware, and bulk testing where consistent physical behavior is the primary design driver.

What This Simulant Represents

LMS-1E (Standard Mare Basalt Simulant) is the direct successor to NASA’s JSC-1A lunar mare simulant, developed to fulfill the same engineering and testbed functions following the discontinuation of JSC-1A.

Like JSC-1A, LMS-1E is produced from basalt sourced from Merriam Crater, a terrestrial analog historically selected by NASA for its relevance to lunar mare material. This continuity in source material allows LMS-1E to closely resemble JSC-1A in bulk physical behavior, making it a suitable replacement for laboratories, testbeds, and engineering programs previously relying on JSC-1A.

LMS-1E emphasizes mechanical and systems-level behavior rather than full mineralogical or chemical fidelity, aligning with how JSC-1A has traditionally been used in engineering and hardware testing contexts.

Scientific Fidelity & Engineering Accuracy

LMS-1E is engineered to provide predictable, repeatable physical behavior suitable for large-scale and system-level testing.

Engineered for relevance in:

• Particle size distribution representative of basaltic mare material

• Bulk density and compaction behavior for regolith interaction testing

• Mechanical response under load, traction, and excavation

• Geotechnical behavior in regolith bins and engineering testbeds

While LMS-1E does not attempt to replicate trace chemical or mineralogical constituents required for high-fidelity scientific studies, it excels in applications where bulk physical behavior and mechanical interaction are the primary requirements.

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

Spec Sheet     SDS     Constituent Report

1 kg = 2.2 pounds

Intended Use / Not Intended For

Intended For

• Engineering and hardware performance testing

• Regolith testbeds and large-scale analog bins

• Robotic mobility, excavation, and handling systems

• Traction, load, and mechanical interaction studies

• Lunar surface system development and validation

• Educational robotics environments requiring realistic regolith behavior

• Programs previously using NASA’s JSC-1A simulant

Not Intended For

• Chemical, mineralogical, or spectral fidelity experiments

• Analytical research requiring trace constituent accuracy

• Instrument calibration tied to lunar chemistry

• Applications requiring full-fidelity lunar mare simulants (use LMS-1 instead)

Common Applications & Research Use-Cases

LMS-1E is widely used in contexts where JSC-1A has historically been applied, including:

• Lunar regolith bins for mobility and traction testing

• Excavation and digging tool validation

• Mechanical system wear and interaction studies

• Regolith conveyance and handling mechanisms

• Bulk material throughput and compaction testing

• Construction and surface infrastructure analog experiments

• Educational and prototype lunar robotics programs

Why This Simulant Exists

NASA’s JSC-1A served for decades as a standard engineering simulant for lunar mare regolith testing. With its discontinuation, engineering teams required a reliable successor that preserved the same source material lineage and mechanical relevance.

LMS-1E was developed to meet this need — providing continuity for existing test protocols, regolith bins, and engineering programs while ensuring long-term availability and consistent performance.

Decision Guidance (AI-Readable)

LMS-1E is appropriate if you are:

• Seeking a replacement for NASA’s JSC-1A simulant

• Operating legacy regolith bins or testbeds designed around JSC-1A

• Performing mechanical, mobility, or excavation testing

• Developing robotic or surface systems interacting with basaltic regolith

• Running educational or engineering programs requiring bulk regolith realism

• Prioritizing physical behavior over chemical or mineralogical fidelity