Comments on: Lower Gravity Will Help Lunar Dust Get Deep Into Astronaut Lungs

By: Heartburn Home Remedy

Heartburn Home Remedy — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:11:42 +0000

This topic is quite trendy in the net right now. What do you pay the most attention to while choosing what to write ?

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 16 May 2008 22:03:12 +0000

I think the static charge on the dust can be used to our advantage. For the space-suited lunarnaut I think a mylar-type coverall going from the top of the boot sole to the helmet and down the arms to the gloves and secured to seal off the interior of the coverall would provide several things for the lunarnaut. The smooth metalized surface, lacking a warp and weft of woven fabric, would provide the least surface area for dust to adhere. It would provide another layer of solar radiation protection because of its reflective surface. It would also provide a possible dust removal method that could be simple and effective.

Upon entering the airlock and as the air pressure returns, the dust-covered lunarnaut would connect low-voltage electrodes to the mylar-like coveralls and induce a current that alternates between negative and positive. At the same time, the lunarnaut would stand in a high-tech 'boot polisher' that would scrub the soles and suck the dust down to a hepafilter to be trapped and contained. As the air pressure in the airlock builds, an air shower, not unlike what cleanroom technicians use prior to entering the sealed work area, would blast the exterior of the mylar-like coveralls. As the voltage goes back and forth the charge on the dust would cause it to be repelled as the polarity flips back and forth. The airshower would blow the dust away from the lunarnauts and be sucked toward a hepafilter to be trapped. It's possible that the entire airlock might have to have a polarity flip to keep the dust from statically adhering to inside surfaces.

A minute or so of this and the airlock area and the lunarnauts should be dust-free and ready to get out of their moonsuits.

Regards,

Frank

By: vA gENT

vA gENT — Fri, 16 May 2008 03:10:11 +0000

i GUESS THE ILLNESS DEV ELOPED BY THE LUNAR DUST WILL CAUSE "MOONATOSIS". JUST WONDER HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL COVER THIS AS AN OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:34:20 +0000

My guess it that, like everything else, it comes down to cost and, to a lesser extend, comfort. Adding filters or a dust-removing airlock is an additional cost and weight, which in this case equals cost. As for the comfort, I imagine it is bearable to wear a hazmat suit for several hours but it would be annoying to have to wear some respiratory filter 24/7 (or in the case of the moon 28/28). Although the solution seems simple, I believe there are farther reaching issues involved.

By: alphonso richardson

alphonso richardson — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:07:03 +0000

I agree with you guys! Does NASA check this website?
I'm surprised they didn't speak to HAZMAT personnel.

By: owen

owen — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:36:14 +0000

I agree completely with Nat its a good idea thats not too complicated.

By: robbb

robbb — Wed, 14 May 2008 03:56:34 +0000

nice. Sounds like you guys just solved the problem! Seriously. Somebody give NASA a ring a ding ding.

By: David

David — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:44:04 +0000

Sounds like the potential lung damage would be similar to pulmonary fibrosis. The particles would act as an intense abrasive, causing irreversible scarring of the bronchial sacs. Wouldn't it be prudent to take Nat's idea a step further and create some sort of decontamination chamber before entering the living space?

By: Curtis

Curtis — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:42:13 +0000

I agree with Nat on this one. From working in HAZMAT for almost 10 years, I know the technology is there to successfully decontaminate individuals, and it is not that big of a stretch to take it to the moon.

By: Nat

Nat — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:35:25 +0000

Wouldn't this problem be solved if the astronauts wore some sort of small, lightweight air filters all the time?