“Moon/Mars Garden (Hakoniwa) Education Program on Computer Science Based Technology for Space” Japan's first simulated crater area was completed at the Fukushima Robot Test Field.

　The University of Aizu is conducting a project "Moon/Mars Garden (Hakoniwa) Education Program on Computer Science Based Technology for Space", which was selected as a MEXT program. As a part of this program, we created a simulated crater area in Fukushima Robot Test Field, which is covered by an analogue of the lunar soil to test robot movement and communication on the realistic environment. This is a first testing facility having crater morphology in Japan and we are opening images obtained during the first run at the area on 11th October. By utilizing this facility, we are planning to contribute to future Moon and planetary exploration activities.

Newly created simulated crater (diameter of 22 m) in Fukushima Robot Test Field to test robot movement and communication on the realistic environment (Image was obtained by Futaba Co.,Ltd)