On February 11, my students at Cheju Halla University and I visited the Exolith Lab at the University of Central Florida, hosted by Prof. Philip Metzger. We toured the facilities and learned about their cutting-edge work accelerating space research and education.

Exploring the CRATER Regolith Bin

A highlight of our visit was exploring the CRATER regolith bin, a state-of-the-art 10×10-meter testing facility filled with over 120 tons of lunar highlands simulant. This impressive facility provides researchers and students with hands-on experience working with materials that replicate the properties of lunar soil.

Seeing this facility sparked exciting discussions about creating a similar facility in Jeju. With Jeju’s abundant basalt resources, we could potentially produce lunar soil simulant locally, opening new opportunities for space research and education in Korea.

Building International Collaboration

Beyond the facility tour, we explored fascinating possibilities for collaboration. One particularly exciting idea was organizing a remote rover competition connecting students from Jeju, UCF, and Mexico. This type of international collaboration could provide invaluable hands-on experience for students while building lasting partnerships across institutions.

Gratitude and Next Steps

Special thanks to Prof. Jaesung Lee at UCF for arranging comprehensive research lab tours and facilitating discussions about potential collaboration opportunities.

And thank you, Phil, for your warm hospitality and enthusiasm about Jeju. We look forward to welcoming you to Jeju again soon and continuing our conversations about how we can advance space research and education together.

🔗 Exolith Lab at Florida Space Institute

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