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What is PUPPETEER?
PUPPETEER is an innovative Mobile Gravity Off-loading System that allows several astronauts and payloads to collaborate and train under a lunar-like gravity here on Earth, without the constraints of conventional equipment.
How PUPPETEER Works:
At the heart of PUPPETEER’s capabilities is a set of multiple crawling vehicle, which move along a specialised ceiling framework, tracking the movements of astronauts or payloads.
Each vehicle is equipped with a Constant Force Module, which can be connected to astronauts, rovers, landers, or other payloads. This moduel applies a consistent counterforce to simulate lunar gravity. This allows users to move freely, walking or jumping, with their weight offset to mimic conditions on the Moon.
The solution of a ceiling-mounted vehicle gives omnidirectional mobility, following the natural movements of the person or object attached below. With its precise and responsive constant-force mechanism, PUPPETEER eliminates the inertia and limitations of traditional crane-based methods.
The complete PUPPETEER system in proposed in two configurations: a self-standing frame and a retrofitted ceiling structure for larger areas.
The LUNA Facility: Where PUPPETEER Will Shine
The European Space Agency (ESA) and DLR have partnered to create the LUNA facility in Cologne, Germany — a 700-square-metre lunar analogue designed to faithfully replicate the Moon’s surface. The LUNA facility is a significant part of ESA’s mission to prepare the astronauts for their future lunar explorations. Within this facility, astronauts will be able to train for extravehicular activities (EVAs) under realistic conditions, including the harsh terrain and low gravity they will face on the lunar surface. They will be able to walk, jump, and perform complex manoeuvres under lunar gravity.
LUNA is not only for astronaut training, it will also be providing a full facility for engineering test campaigns, with capabilities to simulate lunar gravity, surface conditions, and robotic operations. PUPPETEER will enable engineers to test how humans and machines interact in reduced gravity. This research could improve not only astronaut performance but also the design of future space exploration tools, such as lunar rovers or robotic systems.
Applications and Future Potential:
PUPPETEER’s primary application is in astronaut training, but its potential extends far beyond that. The system can be used for scientific research to study human locomotion and the effects of low gravity on body movement in detail. The results will help improving spacesuit design and mobility aids for astronauts, ensuring that future lunar explorers can move safely and efficiently across the Moon’s surface.
Once fully operational by 2026, PUPPETEER will be integrated into the LUNA facility’s training and research programmes. The final version of PUPPETEER will be available for broader use, and Space Applications Services plans to make this groundbreaking technology commercially available. This will open up new possibilities for other organisations looking to train astronauts or develop missions to the Moon or Mars.
PUPPETEER represents a giant leap forward in the preparation for lunar exploration. By providing a flexible, high-precision system for simulating reduced gravity, Space Applications Services and DLR are ensuring that astronauts will be well-equipped to face the challenges of the Moon’s surface. As the LUNA facility becomes fully operational, PUPPETEER will play a central role in training future space explorers and advancing scientific knowledge about human movement in low-gravity environments.
