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Dust Study, Transport, and Electrostatic Removal for Exploration Missions

Astronaut on the moon digging in dust — Image: Lunar dust is one of the main challenges astronauts will have to face in future missions to the Moon. Thorough characterisation of the dust particles is one of the first steps to efficient mitigation techniques. (Credit: NASA)

Charged dust particles are present on the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids, and they can be a threat for both human and robotic exploration missions.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to characterise the properties of the dust particles present on the exploration sites and their transportation mechanisms to enable efficient mitigation techniques to be put in place.

The goal of the DUSTER project is to develop:

instrumentation and technologies for in situ analysis of the electrical charging and transport of dust particles
a ground based test facility to validate the instrument in representative conditions

The experimental data will be used to update and improve existing dust charging and transportation models.

Funded by the European Union’s HORIZON Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082466. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.