Synopsys is working with EMA and Cesium, part of Bentley Systems, to test equipment functionality by virtually replicating components, systems, and the lunar environment

Key Highlights

  • NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston taps Synopsys and Electro Magnetic Applications, Inc. (EMA) to research Artemis spacesuit charging levels resulting from exposure to the lunar environment
  • Cesium and Synopsys are collaborating with NASA SCaN's (Space Communications and Navigation) Lunar 3rd Generation Partnership Project (Lunar 3GPP) at the agency's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland to support cellular network rollout on the Moon
  • Engineers at NASA Glenn are leveraging Synopsys' electromagnetic simulation solution to analyze the performance of antennas on spacesuits and rovers during simulated lunar missions

SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 14, 2026  /PRNewswire/ -- NASA selected Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNPS) and EMA to verify spacesuit compatibility with the lunar environment. This work advances Synopsys' ongoing support of future Artemis missions, which also includes a collaborative effort with Cesium, part of Bentley Systems, and NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland to validate cellular system performance on the lunar surface using digital twin technology.

The joint effort by EMA and Synopsys focuses on reducing risks to extravehicular activity (EVA) systems, specifically spacesuits, caused by both triboelectrification from lunar regolith interactions, and electrical charging and electrostatic discharge (ESD) from the space plasma environment. Analyzing charging levels that the complex, multi-layer Artemis spacesuits may experience on the moon is a key consideration for sustained lunar surface operations, because ESD events can damage mission-critical electronics needed for communications and life support.

Under the planned approach, EMA and Synopsys will apply and develop physics-based analysis workflows using Ansys Charge Plus™, a software simulation tool for electromagnetic charging and discharging, to evaluate spacesuit materials, layered stack-ups, and representative suit features across relevant lunar plasma conditions. Charge Plus is currently the only commercially available software capable of computing these types of space-charging problems in full 3D due to its ability to model the coupled physics governing plasma interaction, surface charging, charge transport, and ESD in complex, multi-material systems.

These simulation efforts are paired with test and validation activities conducted at EMA's Space Environment and Radiation Effects (SERE) Laboratory in Pittsfield, Mass., one of the few facilities capable of replicating key aspects of the space plasma environment on the ground. This integrated simulation-and-test workflow allows teams to identify charging drivers, evaluate design tradeoffs, and focus validation where it matters most for astronaut safety and mission success.