NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Collections About News Help Login
Back to Results
Electrodynamic Dust Shield for Surface Exploration Activities on the Moon and MarsThe Apollo missions to the moon showed that lunar dust can hamper astronaut surface activities due to its ability to cling to most surfaces. NASA's Mars exploration landers and rovers have also shown that the problem is equally hard if not harder on Mars. In this paper, we report on our efforts to develop and electrodynamic dust shield to prevent the accumulation of dust on surfaces and to remove dust already adhering to those surfaces. The parent technology for the electrodynamic dust shield, developed in the 1970s, has been shown to lift and transport charged and uncharged particles using electrostatic and dielectrophoretic forces. This technology has never been applied for space applications on Mars or the moon due to electrostatic breakdown concerns. In this paper, we show that an appropriate design can prevent the electrostatic breakdown at the low Martian atmospheric pressures. We are also able to show that uncharged dust can be lifted and removed from surfaces under simulated Martian environmental conditions. This technology has many potential benefits for removing dust from visors, viewports and many other surfaces as well as from solar arrays. We have also been able to develop a version of the electrodynamic dust shield working under. hard vacuum conditions. This version should work well on the moon.
Document ID
20130012545
Acquisition Source
Kennedy Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Calle, C. I. (NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Immer, C. D. (ASRC Aerospace Corp. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Clements, J. S. (Appalachian State Univ. Boone, NC, United States)
Chen, A. (Oklahoma Baptist Univ. Shawnee, OK, United States)
Buhler, C. R. (ASRC Aerospace Corp. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Lundeen, P. (Appalachian State Univ. Boone, NC, United States)
Mantovani, J. G. (NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Starnes, J. W. (ASRC Aerospace Corp. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Michalenko, M. (NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Mazumder, M. K. (Arkansas Univ. Little Rock, AR, United States)
Date Acquired
August 27, 2013
Publication Date
October 2, 2006
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Report/Patent Number
KSC-2006-125
Meeting Information
Meeting: 57th International Astronautical Congress conference
Location: Valencia
Country: Spain
Start Date: October 2, 2006
End Date: October 6, 2006
Sponsors: International Astronautical Federation
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NRA 02-0SS-01
CONTRACT_GRANT: JPL 1263202.
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

Related Records

There are no records associated with this record.
No Preview Available