Rubber boots on the Moon

The Moon didn’t come up much as a topic during Hallinger’s undergraduate course in mechanical engineering. “That only happened during my Master's thesis,” she recalls. But the more she learns about it in her work at DLR, the more her interest in Earth’s satellite grows. During her time as a Master’s student, the aspiring engineer studied the structure and formation of the Moon, the benefits of seismology and the electrical and mechanical requirements of space systems. For the practical element of her thesis, she delved deeper into the construction and operation of an instrument under lunar-like conditions. “I’m fascinated by it, and I really enjoy talking about it,” she says. And she feels compelled to share that fascination with others through talks, guided tours and media inquiries. And there’s another reason – barely a tenth of her fellow mechanical engineering students at university in Aachen were women. “And I only had one female professor throughout my entire time at university,” she says, so female role models were scarce. “It would be amazing if I could be a role model for girls, if I could motivate more young women to study STEM subjects.” She would love one day to see 50% female students in engineering.

Hallinger is constantly on site during LUNA Hall test campaigns, usually for several days a month. She makes sure that no dirt from driving outside has adhered to the rover’s tyres, and that everyone entering the hall puts on their equipment correctly – from face masks and ventilation motors to suits and boots. She checks that all radios are working and that communication between teammates in the hall and control room is running smoothly. Does the light in the hall need to be bright and slanted, like on the Moon itself? Then, it is Hallinger who must prepare the solar simulator. If heavy objects are to be moved during experiments or when preparing the hall, Hallinger operates the crane that runs beneath the ceiling. If the regolith needs to be topped up or compacted for a particular experiment, then very earthly tools like rakes and shovels come into play, and Hallinger and teammates tread the soil with their boots.

In the office, desk work and meetings are scheduled to plan and document campaigns. Joint meetings are held with university scientific teams from Germany and abroad, and with industry players and partners, in order to pin down and implement requirements and objectives. The LUNA Hall isn’t just another space; it offers highly specific conditions for experiments. “Any work that is carried out there has to be documented,” says Hallinger. “And anyone who wants to drill a hole anywhere in the hall must submit an application.” After the test campaign is complete, she writes a report, much of which will be incorporated into the concept for the operation of the hall. “We use this experience to further refine our processes,” she says.

After eight hours, the first day of testing is over. The once-untrammelled field now looks anything but pristine. The team of students has put their rover through its paces: steep slopes, inclines, high speeds. They are still standing very close to their vehicle. Yet vehicles that roam the Moon will be almost 400,000 km away from the team at the control console. Hallinger has changed out of her protective clothing and is looking out of the control room at the regolith surface of the hall. That immediate oversight will also be absent from real lunar expeditions.