The University of Adelaide, South Australia, launched its Exterres Laboratory on Thursday, an off-Earth surface testing environment for space technology such as rovers, and a first of its kind in Australia. Located on the North Terrace campus, the Extraterrestrial Environmental Simulation (Exterres) Laboratory will be a major stepping stone in developing technology to accompany humans into deep space, providing an environment for researchers to simulate surface environments found on the Moon and Mars, as well as test equipment there. The lab will play a critical role in developing technology that can withstand the harsh effects of what’s known as “regolith”—a layer of loose material covering the bedrock of a planet. In addition, the lab will enable experts to overcome the engineering challenges associated with building long-term dwellings on other planets in preparation for future space explorers. The University of Adelaide Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Peter Høj, said in a release …