All articles tagged with #lunar dust
Scientists are leveraging existing space missions and data to prepare robotic explorers for future human missions to the Moon and Mars, focusing on water resource identification, radiation shielding, and dust management, with new tools and instruments being developed to address these challenges.
Scientists have discovered that Earth's magnetic field allows atmospheric particles to escape and be deposited on the Moon, turning lunar soil into a record of Earth's ancient atmosphere. This process occurs as the Moon passes through Earth's magnetotail, where charged particles from Earth's upper atmosphere are guided onto the lunar surface, providing valuable insights into Earth's atmospheric history and the dynamics of planetary magnetospheres.
German scientists have developed a solar cell using lunar dust, called moonglass, which could enable self-sustaining lunar colonies by producing electricity directly on the Moon, reducing reliance on Earth resources and revolutionizing space exploration.
New research by physicist Phil Metzger suggests that lunar dust, accelerated by rocket exhaust, could pose a significantly greater threat to astronauts and equipment than previously thought. This "sandblast" effect may require enhanced safety measures for the upcoming Artemis missions to ensure the protection of both astronauts and spacecraft.
Lunar dust collected by Apollo 17 astronauts in the 1970s has revealed that the moon is 40 million years older than previously believed. A new analysis of the collected sample detected zircon crystals and dated them to 4.46 billion years old, indicating that the moon must also be at least that old. The findings provide valuable insights into the moon's formation and its role in stabilizing Earth's rotational axis and tides. The study marks the first use of atom probe tomography to determine the age of the crystals, shedding light on the moon's true age.
Lunar dust collected by Apollo 17 astronauts in the 1970s has revealed that the moon is 40 million years older than previously believed. Analysis of zircon crystals in the collected rocks and dust dated them to 4.46 billion years old, indicating that the moon must also be at least that old. The findings provide valuable insights into the moon's formation and its role in stabilizing Earth's rotational axis.
NASA is funding the development of a new moon spacesuit fabric called LiqMEST (Liquid Metal Electrostatic Protective Textile) that aims to repel lunar dust and prevent it from damaging spacesuits. The fabric, being developed at Hawai'i Pacific University, uses electrostatic forces to keep the corrosive moon dust away. This technology is crucial for NASA's Artemis program, which plans to land astronauts on the moon in the 2020s. The fabric is expected to provide flexibility and protection in rugged conditions, and if successful, it could be used for spacesuits and fabric covers for lunar equipment during moon missions.
Scientists have used ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry to analyze the organic material of two meteorites, identifying tens of thousands of molecular "puzzle pieces," including a larger amount of oxygen atoms than expected. By understanding the organic makeup of these meteorites, researchers can obtain information about where and when the rocks formed, and what they ran into on their journey through space. The team will next turn their attention to analyzing a few grams of lunar dust from the Apollo 12 and 14 missions to learn more about the moon's surface.