NASA is looking for a solution to one of the biggest problems on the Moon: Dust

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NASA is looking for a solution to one of the biggest problems on the Moon: Dust

By admin, Aralık 25, 2024

NASA is looking for a solution to one of the biggest problems on the Moon: Dust





NASA is looking for a solution to one of the biggest problems on the Moon: Dust



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NASA, Artemis within the scope of the program 2030 until the year Manned missions to the Moon Preparing to edit. This project, which is the first manned mission to the Moon since the Apollo era, aims to build permanent living spaces and infrastructure in the South Pole-Aitken Basin of the Moon. But this grand vision requires tackling the unique and challenging environment of the Moon.

Moon dust is a big problem

These challenges include extreme temperature changes, a 14-day day-night cycle, and an airless environment. Is regolithin (aka Moon dust) issues stand out. In addition to its sharp and rough structure, the lunar regolith sticks to everything because it is electrostatically charged. This dust astronaut health, equipment and machines It creates serious negative effects on the NASA is developing various technologies to solve this problem and will test these solutions in the test flight with Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.




NASA is looking for a solution to one of the biggest problems on the Moon: Dust



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One of the biggest problems with the lunar regolith is its scattering by the propulsion systems of spacecraft. Due to the absence of an atmosphere and low gravity (16.5% of Earth), this dust can remain suspended in the air for a long time. Its rough structure, formed by the impact of billions of years of meteor impacts, Damages and corrodes surfaces. This poses a wide range of dangers, from spacesuits and equipment to human skin, eyes and lungs.

Additionally, Moon dust coats solar panels, reducing energy production, coats thermal radiators, causing equipment to overheat, and covers sensitive surfaces such as cameras and viewfinders, making vision difficult.

Solutions are being developed

The Game Changing Development program under NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is developing new technologies to combat Moon dust. The “Lunar Gravity Simulation with Suborbital Rocket” flight test will conduct studies on regolith mechanics and lunar dust transport in a simulated lunar gravity environment. Some developed systems will be tested within the scope of the experiment.

ClothBot The compact robot, called , will simulate how the lunar regolith behaves in a pressurized environment. The robot, which mimics the movements of astronauts when removing their spacesuits, will provide real-time dust flow images and particle measurements. Electrostatic Dust Ejection The device called (EDL) will examine how lunar dust becomes airborne as a result of electrostatic charging. Powder samples will be illuminated with ultraviolet light, loaded and observed with a laser. And finally, developed by NASA, Texas A&M and T-STAR Hermes Lunar-Gwill examine lunar regolith simulants using the Hermes hardware previously used on the International Space Station. The behavior of the dust in lunar gravity conditions will be analyzed with high-speed cameras and sensors. The data obtained from these projects will enable better combat with this harmful regolith during Moon and Mars missions.

























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