Turin – The University of Turin is part of MARTE, an ambitious industrial research project that brings the environment of Mars into a laboratory setting. The initiative is funded under the Regional FESR Programme 2021–2027 with support from the Piedmont Region and Finpiemonte, and is led by Lazzero Tecnologie together with Fri.med, the University of Turin and the Polytechnic University of Turin.

MARTE — short for Simulator of Atmosphere, Gravity, Temperature and Magnetic Field on Mars — is a highly advanced environmental chamber designed to closely reproduce the extreme conditions found on the Red Planet. Its purpose is to study how terrestrial life forms, including plants, seeds, lichens and microorganisms, behave when exposed to an alien environment, offering insights that may one day support human missions to Mars.

The simulator, conceived by Professor Massimo Maffei of the Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, is able to recreate critical surface conditions: a thin atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide, temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius, artificial day-night cycles controlled by specialised lighting, a cancellation of Earth’s magnetic field, and reduced gravity levels achieved through a Random Positioning Machine.

According to Professor Maffei, the project opens new opportunities not only for space research but also for practical applications on Earth. “The technologies developed for MARTE may prove useful in many demanding industrial fields. The innovation generated could lead to patents and new forms of intellectual property, strengthening both scientific research and industrial development,” he said.