Mars Dust Could Be Gentler On Spacesuits Than Lunar Dust
What Happened
NASA’s Perseverance rover has carried small samples of spacesuit materials on Mars for 1,645 Martian days. Researchers found little visible wear, with Martian dust grains appearing smoother and more rounded than the sharp lunar dust that damaged spacesuits and visors during Apollo missions. However, some Martian dust particles measured as little as 100 nanometres, small enough to potentially penetrate deep into the lungs if inhaled.
Key Takeaways
Mars dust may pose less of an abrasion problem than Moon dust, but its extremely fine particles remain a potential health and engineering challenge for future astronauts.