design of a lunar eva suit to mitigate the effect of dust exposure
- Paper number
IAC-09.A3.2INT.25
- Author
Ms. Vinita Marwaha, United Kingdom
- Year
2009
- Abstract
Lunar dust would pose a hazard to a human rated mission to the Moon. Existing suit designs previously utilised on the lunar surface, have been found to be exposed to a number of risks. These are created by the interaction of lunar dust particles with the suit components. The dust has been found to be a potential danger to the astronauts; an example included abrasion of Apollo spacesuits for astronauts taking part in lunar EVA. This abrasion affected both pressure retention and impaired visibility. Additional exposure to fine-grained particles of lunar dust has been indicated to be the cause of numerous health problems for the astronauts. These factors must be taken into account during the design process of an EVA suit for use on the lunar surface. The effects of human exposure and damage sustained to life support systems require careful consideration. Dust mitigation technologies are currently in development to minimise the adverse effect of dust on essential systems during a lunar mission. This work builds on previous studies and proposes concepts for improved lunar suit designs. Initial theories to develop these designs will be presented based on my conclusions and successive independent analysis. This includes a successful initial design of a spacesuit for future use on the lunar surface.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)