Moon dust: A hidden danger that will cause harm to colonizationThe Moon is surrounded by an exosphere, an extremely thin layer of gas. That is, the atmosphere there is so thin that it is often neglected. But astronaut activities, resource extraction, and rocket launches can upset this equilibrium, raising large amounts of regolith above the surface. This can damage both missions and equipment.
Rosemary Killen, a planetologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, emphasizes the danger of tiny dust particles. Moon dust, formed by collisions of space rocks and the impact of the solar wind, is a threat because of its finely dispersed structure. Dust can damage lungs, electronics and machinery, as well as obstruct visibility.
Additional sources of pollution, such as vapor emissions from spacecraft or life support system leaks, will also affect the environment. Even small amounts of water or gas can spread over significant distances, settle in shaded regions, and alter the chemical composition of ancient frozen ice deposits.
An important task for scientists is to analyze the pristine ice in the craters, where water may have been stored for centuries. However, water vapor created by human activities can mix with natural stocks, making data interpretation difficult.
The missions of the Artemis program, which NASA runs with commercial partners, involve the active use of large vehicles. Heavy landings by such vehicles can lift dust to high altitudes, creating short-lived “atmospheric” pockets of gas and particles. Space agencies plan to minimize these effects through careful selection of landing sites and optimization of flight paths.
However, even a few seconds of rocket engine operation can cast dust over significant distances, polluting remote regions. Moon dust can damage astronauts’ lungs, scratch spacesuit surfaces and clog mechanisms. It has properties similar to coal dust, which is detrimental to the health of miners.
There is also a risk of dust transfer into the living modules. Dirty spacesuits, tools and Mars rovers can bring it into airlocks and rooms, creating additional health and engineering hazards.
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