Studying How Craters Are Made: The Planetary Impact Lab

APL has a number of cool and innovative lab, but there is only one place designed for investigating impact processes on asteroids, moons, and planets: The Planetary Impact Lab. The Planetary Impact Lab (PIL) is a cutting-edge facility that allows researchers to study planetary impact cratering and the scattering of debris - called “ejecta“ - from craters. The lab is composed of two main parts: an ejecta simulator and a low-speed vertical gun range, capable of firing at multiple angles and in a vacuum. The PIL archives results of crater geomorphology studies on planets and asteroids, and addresses fundamental science questions about planetary impact cratering. Learn more about Johns Hopkins APL: