poqpoq t1_irj0k3a wrote
Seeing lots of comments with simple suggestions. It’s NASA if a problem exists still it’s because it’s harder to fix than it appears. IIRC Martian fines have a strong static charge and love to stick. Compressed air wouldn’t work well. Also Martian fines are very rough, so wipers would tear up the panels.
They have come up with some cool repellent systems for their space suits using electric currents in the last few years. I am guessing they will work to implement that tech with new rovers.
Lunar fines are a bit worse then Martian ones but they are very similar issues.
Few_Carpenter_9185 t1_irjzheh wrote
Good post.
The conditions on Earth with thick atmosphere, water vapor, weather etc. that dissolves, crushes, or clumps ultra-fine dust, don't really prepare people mentally to understand the difficulty.
People think "dust" and equate it to their house. Or maybe if they've been in the military or traveled, and have been exposed to desert dust or dust storms. The latter adds some understanding, but still doesn't really convey the difference between Earth-dust, and ultra-fine particulates in vacuum or near-vacuum.
The vacuum on the Moon with zero erosion, and dust charging from sunlight and radiation will make it a challenge. Apollo astronauts had irritation and symptoms, fortunately the exposure was limited and short.
It'll be a much bigger issue for longer Moon missions that have EVA activity. Especially because the dust is very sharp and jagged, never being exposed to weather. That can mean it's got Asbestos-like qualities.
The public at large typically doesn't understand downstream domino-effects from engineering changes in something somewhat simpler like automobiles. Automobiles that they may own and use every day. And will complain about how the Tesla battery isn't a replaceable box that goes in the trunk etc.
So expecting them to understand the same thing on a space mission, that has zero chance of being given maintenance or repairs, and the mass and power consumption can affect if the destination is even reached, or the mission even happens... and all of it, including changes and testing, has to be ready up against various launch-window hard deadlines that don't budge for anyone.
Probably a bridge too far.
It's nice to imagine that they all could though. The side benefits of such voters on economics, energy policy, medicine/epidemiology, all sorts of things would be enormous.
ontopofyourmom t1_irkshs9 wrote
Terrestrial fines (like you find in dry lakebeds) aren't nearly as bad as either, but they cling just as well.
Liberal amounts of compressed air or anti-mineral surfactants like those used for softening water are the only good ways to remove them.
ZappaLlamaGamma t1_irloze4 wrote
Yeah they have the smartest folks over there. Maybe future ones will use electrostatic tech like some of the moon suits in development.
smcnally t1_irshiiv wrote
It's Fantasy, not "simple suggestion," but how cool would it be if Ingenuity rescues InSight ...
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