Detect, Map and Mitigate Lunar Dust.

Billions of years of astroid and comet impact-- still ongoing-- have pulverized the surface of the Moon, leaving behind a layer of soil-- regolith-- that can reach upto 50 feet (15 meters) in thickness. About half of the regolith is made of dust-- sized particles. Lunar Dust poses a significant challenge as it can become engrained in delicate equipment such as astronaut life--support systems, computers and rover instruments. NASA currently is working to understand the properties of lunar dust, the effects of long term exposure on humans and ways to minimise it's effects.

How to Detect and Map the Lunar Dust?

The Lunar Dust experiment (LDEx) aboard NASA"s lunar atmosphere and dust environment explorer (LADEE) is used to successfully map the dust density distribution over the lunar surface up to an altitude of 250 km.

Lunar Dust Mitigation

The Electrodynamic Dust Shield Technology being developed at Kennedy is based on the electric curtain concept introduced by F.B. Tatom and collaboration at NASA in 1967 and further developed by researchers at the University of Tokyo in 1970s. This technique has been shown to lift and transport particles using dielectrophonetic forces. The electric curtain consists of a series of electrodes connected to a multiphase alternating current source. The source generates a travelling electric field wave that carries dust particles along. Transparent dust shields with transparent indium tin oxide electrodes on a transparent substrate can prevent dust build up on camera lenses, spectrometers and others optical systems as well as view ports, visors,, solar panels and thermal rediators. Opaque dust shields can protect mechanical and electrical connectors, batteries and seals. Flexible dust shields with carbon nanotubes electrodes on fabric can prevent dust accumulation on spacesuites.