Researchers at Washington State University have developed a liquid nitrogen spray that can effectively eliminate almost all of the simulated moon dust from a space suit, potentially solving a significant challenge for astronauts on future moon missions. According to the researchers' report in the
Researchers at
“Moon dust is electrostatically charged, abrasive and gets everywhere, making it a very difficult substance to deal with,” said Ian Wells, first author on the paper and a senior in WSU’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. “You end up with a fine layer of dust as a minimum just covering everything.”
“It posed a lot of problems that affected the missions as well as the astronauts once they returned home,” said Wells.Artemis mission aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the moon in 2025 with the hope of eventually setting up a base camp there for further planetary exploration, so they are interested in finding a solution to the moon dust problem.
The liquid nitrogen spray was also much gentler on spacesuit materials than other cleaning methods. While a brush caused damage to the spacesuit material after just one brushing, the liquid nitrogen spray took 75 cycles before damage occurred.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Don't Miss: Worm Moon AKA Death MoonThe Next full moon is the Crow, Crust, Sap, Sugar, or Worm Moon; the Lenten, Chaste, or Death Moon, the full moon of Purim; the full moon of Holi; Māgha Pūjā and Medin Poya; Mid-Sha'ban; and the Pothole Moon. The next full moon will be Tuesday morning, March 7, 2023, appearing opposite the Sun in
Read more »
Cambridge Researchers Unveil Simple 11-Minute Solution To Reduce Risk of Early DeathOne in ten early deaths could be prevented if everyone managed at least half the recommended level of physical activity, say a team led by researchers at the University of Cambridge. In a study published on February 27 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the researchers say that 11 minutes
Read more »
Coug researchers find a way to remove sticky moon dust from space suits.Washington State University researchers discovered that a liquid nitrogen spray could remove more than 98% of the lunar dust from space suits.
Read more »
Worm moon: When to see March’s upcoming full moonThe time has come for March’s full moon to light up the night’s sky, and if conditions are clear, it could be visible for several nights.
Read more »
March 2023: The Next Full Moon is the Crow, Crust, Sap, Sugar, or Worm MoonThis full moon is worming its way into your sky. March’s full moon is known as the Worm, Crow, Crust, Sap, or Sugar Moon and is associated with the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Send us your favorite Moon pics and see what else is up:
Read more »
A worm moon will illuminate the sky this week | CNNThe final full moon of winter will light up the sky this week, and it coincides with another special opportunity for sky-watchers.
Read more »