Event
Perseverance measures Mars dust adhesion, providing basis for spacesuit protection
1 reports · 1 sources
Over more than 1,645 Martian days, NASA's Perseverance rover used PIXL and SHERLOC to measure Mars dust on onboard spacesuit material samples, detecting fine particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers and ultrafine particles of about 100 nanometers. Results show that electrostatics determine which surfaces dust of different particle sizes adheres to; organic polymers such as Teflon readily attract fine dust, while some materials attract less. These data, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, can be used to guide spacesuit and habitat design, dust removal procedures, and crew health standards.
Report timeline
- NASA's Perseverance rover offers clues for protecting astronauts from Martian dust
Over more than 1,645 Martian days, NASA's Perseverance rover used PIXL and SHERLOC to measure Martian dust on samples of spacesuit materials carried aboard the rover, detecting fine particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers and ultrafine particles of about 100 nanometers. The results show that static electricity determines which surfaces dust of different particle sizes adheres to; organic polymers such as Teflon readily attract fine dust, while some materials accumulate less. These data, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, can inform the design of spacesuits and habitats, dust-removal procedures, and crew health standards.
NASA ·