Lunar dust could become one of the most serious problems for future settlements on Earth's satellite. Microscopic particles with sharp edges can damage equipment, spacesuits, and even harm human health. To solve this problem, scientists from MAI and FMBA have developed a project for a special airlock module for a future lunar station. It will be used to test technologies that could later form the basis of the lunar exploration program.

The module will have a diameter of about 2.2–2.4 meters. Inside, it will house thermal control systems, connections for spacesuits to onboard power, and equipment for testing methods of lunar dust removal.

The main task of the developers is to find ways to clean spacesuits and equipment after astronauts exit onto the lunar surface. Currently, specialists are considering two main options: mechanical removal of contaminants and the use of alternating current, which will help remove particles from the surface of spacesuits.

The future prototype of the airlock module will be built as part of an experimental mock-up of a lunar base in Moscow at the FMBA site. An artificial lunar landscape with a regolith analogue will be created around the structure to bring the tests as close as possible to real conditions.

In addition to dust protection, specialists will test technologies for protection against cosmic radiation, emergency human rescue, as well as systems for maintaining temperature and pressure inside the premises.

According to the plan, the construction of the airlock module prototype will be completed within a year, and operations will begin in 2027.