NASA
researchers are developing a plant-inspired material that could prevent dust
from sticking to equipment on the moon.
Preventing
dirt from covering equipment is essential on other planets. Apollo astronauts
discovered this the hard way during their moonwalks–the highly abrasive lunar
dust stuck easily to their spacesuits, jamming mechanical joints and
restricting movement.
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The
new material is based on the lotus plant–known for repelling water–and is
already used on windows, camera lenses, and eyeglasses. While there are lots of
earth applications, the material will have to undergo heavy modifications to be
able to endure the harsh environment of space.
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NASA
could use the material not just on spacesuits, but also on scientific
equipment, solar panels, rovers, and other hardware. The team behind it, led by
Wanda Peters at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, is in the process
of testing different formulas. “No one formula will meet all our
needs,” Peters said in the NASA press release. “For example, the coating that’s
applied to spacesuits needs to stick to a flexible surface, while a coating
developed to protect moving parts needs to be exceptionally durable to resist
wear and tear.”
The
commercial material is made from silica, zinc oxide, and other oxides. If you
splash water on it, the water beads up and rolls off, just as it would roll off
a lotus plant. (See previous TRarticles on self-cleaning materials.) NASA
researchers hope to add a biocide to the material to kill bacteria that produce
foul odors wherever people are confined in a small space, like the space
station or a future lunar outpost, for long periods. The agency is working with
Northrop
Grumman Electronics Systems, in Linthicum, MD, and nGimat Corporation, in Atlanta.
“We
are modifying and testing the formula to ensure it can withstand all the
challenges our hardware will encounter–extreme temperatures, ultraviolet
radiation, solar wind, and electrostatic charging,” said Peters. “We
are also making sure it remains durable and cleanable in the space
environment.”