Assessment of Dust Effects on Planetary Surface Systems to Support Exploration Requirements

摘要

Apollo astronauts learned, first hand, how problems with dust impact lunar surface missions. After three days, lunar dust contamination on Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suit bearings led to such great difficulty in movement that another EVA would not have been possible. Dust clinging to EVA suits was transported into the Lunar Module. During the return trip to Earth, when microgravity was reestablished, the dust became airborne and floated through the cabin. Crews inhaled the dust and it irritated their eyes. Some mechanical systems aboard the spacecraft were damaged due to dust contamination. Study results obtained by Robotic Martian missions indicate that Martian surface soil is oxidative and reactive. Exposures to the reactive Martian dust will pose an even greater concern to the crew health and the integrity of the mechanical systems. The Advanced Integration Matrix Dust Assessment Team was tasked to identify systems that will be affected by the respective dust, how they will be affected, associated risks of dust exposure, requirements that will need to be developed, identify knowledge gaps, and recommend scientific measurements to obtain information needed to develop requirements, and to design and manufacture the surface systems that will support crew habitation in the lunar and Martian outposts.