To establish a lasting presence on the Moon, NASA is seeking ways to protect astronauts and equipment from dust clouds during landing.
Simulation of lunar dust during spacecraft landing.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its industry partners are developing a launch system to return humans to the Moon as part of the Artemis program. However, dense dust clouds that form on the surface during spacecraft landing pose a challenge for such explorations.
Lunar dust, consisting of tiny particles, can affect spacesuits, machinery, and scientific equipment, causing long-term damage. Such a minor nuisance could also threaten the health of astronauts. To prevent this, NASA is seeking ideas from college students on solutions to mitigate lunar dust during landing, reported Interesting Engineering on March 31.
The initiative, named Human Landing System (HuLC) Challenge, invites students to explore ways to control the dust cloud effect—a process where a dust cloud is stirred up by the spacecraft when the engines are activated to provide thrust for a gentle touchdown.
(Graphic: AFP)
Since the surface of the Moon is covered by a granular material known as regolith, it is easily blown into the air during the launch and landing of various spacecraft. Therefore, controlling the dust cloud effect is of utmost importance for NASA to safely reach the lunar surface.
NASA hopes that students from accredited universities in the U.S. can come up with innovative system-level solutions to reduce and control the impact of dust on future lunar exploration systems.
“Ideas should focus on the development of dust shields, creating devices to control surface interactions with dust, finding ways to see through dust clouds during landing, or monitoring dust during ascent,” the agency stated.
A maximum of 12 student teams will be shortlisted to participate in the HuLC Forum, which is scheduled to commence in June 2024 in Alabama. A grant of $7,000 will be awarded to each team to develop any relevant models or design prototypes. A total prize pool of $18,000 will be distributed among the top three teams, with the first prize being $10,000.
The HuLC initiative is sponsored by the NASA Human Landing System Program, while activities are conducted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
