NASA reported on Aug. 7, 2026, that its Lunar Development and Test Facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston is testing Artemis hardware in simulated lunar conditions, with a focus on Moon dust. Lunar dust is described as sharp and abrasive, clinging to nearly everything. Without mitigation, it could damage equipment and spacesuits and pose health risks to astronauts.

The facility, located within the Energy Systems Test Area, includes a dust containment and preparation laboratory for ambient testing, a 3-foot cube vacuum chamber, and a 15-foot thermal vacuum chamber. Engineers evaluate spacesuits, spacecraft components, and mechanisms with moving parts and joints using lunar regolith simulant. A closed-loop nitrogen system recreates the lunar environment. Mike Salinas, a branch deputy chief in Johnson's Propulsion and Power Division, said the facility supports technologies for long-duration lunar exploration, including work on extracting resources from regolith.

The building's exterior carries a large-scale mural completed in 2024 by artist Sebastian Boileau, depicting astronauts on the lunar surface. NASA also described a 3D virtual tour of the facility.