Lunar rovers could be engulfed by dust
Wednesday, July 3, 2013 - 06:30
in Astronomy & Space
(Phys.org) —Space agencies around the world have plans to continue the exploration of the Moon in the next two decades, with ever more sophisticated robots paving the way for astronauts to walk on the lunar surface once again. One major issue for these projects is the dust found on the lunar surface, material that is abrasive, sticky and unhealthy to breathe. Now an Anglo-French team of scientists have modelled how this dust will affect any rover vehicles travelling across the surface. They find a serious risk that rovers that move around sunrise and sunset could be engulfed in dust. Professor Farideh Honary of the University of Lancaster will present the new work at the RAS National Astronomy Meeting in St Andrews on Wednesday 3 July.