Learning through play: A window into ESA’s lunar ambitions

This new toy set reflects ESA’s ongoing commitment to lunar exploration. The recently inaugurated LUNA facility – a collaboration between ESA and DLR, located next to ESA’s Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany – provides a realistic training environment that replicates the Moon’s surface. Here, astronauts and engineers will test technologies and prepare for future missions – including with Spot, a robot dog! At the same time, the development of Argonaut – ESA’s first lunar lander – represents a major milestone in Europe’s ability to deliver a wide range of cargo to the Moon. This includes essential resources for astronauts such as food, water, and air, as well as rovers, scientific instruments, and infrastructure for communication and power generation.