Project Details

The Challenge | Dust Yourself Off

The Apollo missions showed us that lunar dust not only clung to everything and was impossible to fully remove, but it was also dangerous to humans and damaging to spacecraft systems. Your challenge is to develop a way to detect, map, and mitigate lunar dust to reduce the effects on astronauts or spacecraft interior systems.

Regolito Lunar

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Our project tries to find a solution to the problem of the lunar regolith that remains in the costumes of the astronauts when entering the module after extravehicular activities.

Regolito Lunar
Dust Yourself Off

Proyecto Regolito Lunar

NASA Apps Challenge (Durazno)

Members: Federico Moreira, Giulianna Casás, José Furtado, Sebastián Vezzoso



Challenge:

Develop a way to mitigate moon dust to reduce effects on astronauts or interior spacecraft systems.


Introduction:

Problems with the lunar regolith during missions

Lunar regolith is called the material that covers the entire surface of our satellite and was formed from the impact of large and small meteorites. Because there is no wind on the Moon, the dust on its surface is not similar to sand, since it has suffered erosion and has a more rounded surface. Because there is no wind on the Moon, the dust on its surface is not similar to sand, since it has suffered erosion and has a more rounded surface. The lunar registry may come into contact with the eyes causing irritation or be inhaled causing damage to the respiratory tract and lungs; In addition to causing problems in the operation of the interior systems of the module.

Scanning electron micrograph of a typical ropy glass particle of the Apollo 12 12033 sample (page 19): http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.251.2682&rep=rep1&type=pdf


Solutions:

Flatten the regolith

In order to reduce the amount of regolith that emerges from the surface due to the movement of astronauts on it, the compaction of regolith particles is chosen.

Compaction Methods

Using a double roller steamroller

Due to the great weight that these machines have and to avoid over costs in their launch, both rollers are filled with cemented regolith.

Using a vibratory steamroller

With their low mass, they are easy to transport and several can be sent in the same launch.

Coat the surface with a protective skin

The surface around the landing zone is covered with a protective tarp. It is not the best option, but it could be a quick and temporary or specific solution for certain areas.

Space suit protection:

Instead of trying to remove the regolith from the suit with brushes or vacuum cleaners, it is covered with a thin plastic cover that will be discarded when returning to the ship, which can be washed and reused.


The best probable solution

Due to its weight, reuse and ease of transport, we think this is the best solution. Astronauts may be equipped with this protective suit / cover before doing an extravehicular activity and then take it off before re-entering the module. This can be washed or, if this is not possible, they will be discarded and another one will be used for the next EVA. It can be composed of Teflon, because it is capable of withstanding low and high temperatures.

Difficulties of this solution

Find a material that can withstand lunar hostility.

An alternative to the problem

A Kennedy Space Center team devised a possible solution to this problem with an electrodynamic dust shield.

Timeline

Each solution is not definitive, but they are a functional set. The protective suit will be used for the first missions and will be used to prepare the area for future missions and a future lunar colony.

FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

If this work is selected, it will deepen the composition of the suit, the specifications of the material, the possible ways of flattening the lunar surface to prevent the regolith from being loose and sticking to the astronaut's suit due to its movement during EVA, way of launching equipment, weight and cost.


LINK TO FULL DOCUMENTATION

Presentation:
English: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xZG_a6RqexplZL3_...
Spanish: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ADkfAONdjVyfA7yK...

Resources:
The lunar regolith: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.251.2682&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Man on the Moon, criterios para el diseño de la arquitectura lunar: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/159466371.pdf

Project: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zwmkwG8VWze-kZQ_xnyw8qfePx0fQLvE/view