LITHOS-1
A 5 kg payload that digs, packs and processes loose lunar soil into firm, low-dust ground in a single pass, as a first step toward roads and pads on the Moon.
Why it matters
Lunar dust is abrasive and clings to everything, and rocket exhaust blasts it at high speed. Stabilized ground near landers and along rover routes would protect hardware and make a base easier to run.
How the technology works
LITHOS-1 excavates regolith, compacts it and processes it into a stable, load-bearing surface without chemicals or heat, using about 20 watts. It is sized for small commercial landers and rovers.
Its first full-system test ran in a dusty vacuum chamber at Michigan Technological University in February 2026.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction