1 00:00:02,168 --> 00:00:06,539 You’re s getting awfully dusty, everything is just full of dust 2 00:00:09,009 --> 00:00:15,315 Artemis 3, NASA’S mission to return humans to the moon for the first time since 1972 3 00:00:15,315 --> 00:00:20,653 In a few years two astronauts will land on the barren landscape at the South Pole 4 00:00:20,653 --> 00:00:25,892 And the first thing they will encounter other than 1/6 gravity are tiny particles 5 00:00:25,892 --> 00:00:31,097 Kicked up by the descent engine on the Artemis 3 lander..and there will be lots of it. 6 00:00:31,464 --> 00:00:34,067 And there is no avoiding a simple fact 7 00:00:34,067 --> 00:00:38,972 NASA and even commercial space missions will face an invisible threat to any spacecraft 8 00:00:38,972 --> 00:00:41,875 rover or lunar outpost 9 00:00:41,875 --> 00:00:47,714 This invisible threat is represented by tiny particles of dust that hovers above the surface 10 00:00:48,481 --> 00:00:53,086 But this is not any ordinary dust but ground up lunar rock 11 00:00:55,955 --> 00:01:01,027 It will clog drills, scratch spacesuits, and tear holes in gloves. 12 00:01:01,728 --> 00:01:04,297 And because lunar regolith absorbs sunlight 13 00:01:04,297 --> 00:01:08,601 Electrostatic particles can cling to well…everything 14 00:01:09,602 --> 00:01:15,742 So what is NASA doing to mitigate the harmful effects of lunar dust and lunar regolith? 15 00:01:15,742 --> 00:01:20,647 The power and propulsion division has created the Lunar Development and Test Facility 16 00:01:20,647 --> 00:01:23,316 Offering lunar environment testing capabilities for 17 00:01:23,316 --> 00:01:26,419 subsystem, and system hardware and assemblies 18 00:01:27,387 --> 00:01:30,223 The facility will test three main areas 19 00:01:30,223 --> 00:01:37,030 spacesuits, spacecraft components, and mechanisms with moving parts,and joints. 20 00:01:37,030 --> 00:01:43,603 This unique facility enables a range of lunar environmental testing and research needs. 21 00:01:43,770 --> 00:01:49,509 The facility encompasses a 15 foot dirty thermal vacuum chamber 22 00:01:49,509 --> 00:01:53,046 3-foot dirty thermal vacuum chamber 23 00:01:53,112 --> 00:01:55,381 A dust containment and preparation lab 24 00:01:55,381 --> 00:01:59,819 Component test lab with dust box and bell jars 25 00:01:59,819 --> 00:02:05,191 The facility will also have the capabilities to process and manufacture lunar regolith simulant. 26 00:02:05,291 --> 00:02:09,395 Used for realistic and reliable testing of dust mitigation 27 00:02:09,562 --> 00:02:16,169 The facility will help NASA develop dust mitigation technologies, countermeasures, and procedures 28 00:02:16,169 --> 00:02:21,007 that will be tested both here and on the moon with commercial autonomous rovers 29 00:02:25,111 --> 00:02:27,113 Dust is difficult. 30 00:02:27,113 --> 00:02:29,115 Okay? Yep. 31 00:02:29,115 --> 00:02:33,219 Remind me to dust my camera too will you. Don’t forget to dust your camera.