To establish a permanent presence on the Moon, NASA is looking for ways to protect astronauts and their equipment from dust clouds during landing..
Simulation of lunar dust when the spacecraft lands.
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and industry partners are developing a launch system to return humans to the Moon as part of the Artemis program. However, the dense clouds of dust that appear on the surface when the spacecraft lands pose a challenge for such expeditions.
Moon dust, consisting of small particles, can affect spacesuits, machines and scientific equipment, causing long-term damage. Such a small problem can also threaten the astronaut’s health. To avoid this, NASA seeks student ideas on solutions to mitigate lunar dust during landings, Interesting engineering reported March 31.
The initiative is named Crewed Landing Craft Challenge (HuLC) invited students to study how to modify the dust cloud effect – the process by which a dust cloud is stirred up by a spacecraft when its engines are activated to provide thrust for a soft landing.
(Graphic: AFP)
Because the surface of the Moon is covered with a granular material, called regolith or topsoil, so they are easily blown into the air during takeoff and landing of various space vehicles. Therefore, correcting the dust cloud effect is essential for NASA to reach the surface of the Moon safely.
NASA expects students from accredited universities in the United States to come up with innovative system-level solutions to minimize and control the impact of dust on future lunar exploration systems.
“Ideas should focus on developing dust shields, creating devices to control surface dust interactions, finding ways to see through dust clouds when landing or dust monitoring during flight”, said this agency.
Up to 12 student groups will be selected to participate in the HuLc Forum scheduled to open in June 2024 in Alabama. USD 7,000 grant will be given to each group to develop relevant design models or prototypes. The total prize money worth 18,000 USD will be divided among the top three teams, including The first prize is worth 10,000 USD.
The HuLC initiative is sponsored by NASA Crewed Landing Systems Programwhile activities are carried out by the US National Aerospace Institute.
Article source: VnExpress
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To create a permanent presence on the Moon, NASA has recently sought to protect astronauts and their equipment from dust clouds during landing. Simulation of surface dust…
