The Moon might seem like a quiet, rocky place, but its surface is covered with tiny, sharp dust particles known as “lunar regolith.”
This dust is more than just dirt—it’s electromagnetically charged due to constant exposure to the Sun and space particles.
During the Apollo missions, astronauts discovered just how difficult lunar dust could be.
It stuck to everything, from gloves and boots to tools and equipment. The sticky, abrasive dust caused all kinds of problems, including clogging machinery and damaging sensitive instruments.
With NASA’s Artemis program planning to send astronauts back to the Moon and build long-term outposts, solving the lunar dust challenge has become crucial. That’s where the RAC-1 (Regolith Adherence Characterization) instrument comes in. Developed by Aegis Aerospace in Texas, RAC-1 will help NASA figure out how to deal with this pesky problem.
RAC-1 is one of 10 NASA science experiments flying to the Moon aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander, as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. This innovative instrument will test 15 different materials, including fabrics, paint coatings, solar cells, and sensors, by exposing them to the harsh lunar environment.
It will measure how much dust sticks to each material during landing and regular operations on the Moon.
The goal is simple: find the materials that best resist dust and are easiest to clean. This information will help NASA and its partners design stronger, more reliable equipment, spacesuits, and habitats for future Moon missions.
“Lunar dust is a major challenge for longer missions,” said Dennis Harris, RAC project manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “It can clog gears, damage spacesuits, and block the function of optical instruments. RAC will help us identify the most dust-resistant materials to build better tools and equipment for lunar exploration.”
Under the CLPS program, NASA works with private companies to deliver payloads to the Moon, supporting the growth of commercial space services. By testing and preparing for lunar dust now, NASA is laying the foundation for safer and more efficient missions to explore the Moon and beyond.
Source: NASA.
