Moon Dust: The danger for astronauts

Moon dust is one of the natural risks that astronauts perform on the Moon's surface to face.

Astronauts from the Apollo missions in the 1970s knew that the moon dust was abrasive and adherent, puncturing the outer layer of traveling suits and staining their tools. Black dust equipment has absorbed the sun and tends to increase heat.

In addition to this danger, astronauts also have to face the risk of electric discharge , potentially damaging all electronic devices. Moon dust tends to charge static electricity, caused by the Earth's magnetic field.

Although Apollo missionaries have never faced this problem, astronauts present on the Moon in the 2020s will be at risk. The reason is that the Moon's orbit around the Earth is unstable and comes close to or away from the Earth in a cycle that lasts 18 years, every 4 days every month, it passes through the Earth's magnetic field.

Since 2012, the Moon's orbit will cycle through regions called the plasma band of the magnetic field, which is so rich in high-energy electrons and other charged particles, that some areas on the surface The Moon's face will carry static electricity.

American astronauts plan to return to the Moon in the 2020s and the "Lunar Explorer" projects of Russia, India, Japan and China in 2020-2030. For these missions to be safe, the risks from this moon dust need to be taken seriously.

(Photo: pathe-imax.nl)

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