The focus of the Mars Simulation Laboratory is the study of processes closely related to the surface of Mars.

This can be done from Earth or satellites in Earth orbit or, more detailed, from Martian satellites as imaging or spectroscopic data. However, the most detailed data are collected by Martian landers and rovers on the surface. And though we have not yet samples returned by Mars missions, we have today, out of the about 60.000 meteorites found on Earth, 124 that are classified as originating from Mars. Apart from utilizing satellite data and data from landers, rovers and meteorites, the Mars Simulation Laboratory studies Mars processes by means of analogue samples (rock (soil), dust, pure minerals and microbiology). The equipment used are wind tunnels, tumbling carousels that mimics saltation processes and a chamber for microbiological experiments under Martian environmental conditions.