Extending the utilization of dust protection systems using carbon nanotube embedded materials for lunar habitats for exploration missions

Abstract With the increasing interest in establishment of long duration outposts for lunar exploration, it is imperative that we overcome the challenges posed by the lunar environment. Lunar dust has proved to cause abrasion, thermal problems, wear and tear of materials exposed to the environments, making it a major challenge for surface operations, as witnessed during the Apollo missions. Rigid and flexible materials utilized for space hardware need to be protected from the dust contamination and degradation to extend their performance and life time for long duration missions on the lunar surface. This paper focuses on extending the functionality of the SPacesuit Integrated carbon nanotube Dust Ejection/Removal system (SPIcDER) to lunar habitat structures. Originally developed for spacesuits, which are flexed during operations, this technology can be readily adapted for flexible/deployable surface habitat structures. Pressurizable lunar inflatable/deployable habitats will require protection from dust contamination, in order to maintain their durability and pressure holding capacity over long duration missions. In this paper we propose extension of SPIcDER to exteriors of lunar habitat structures and review technical challenges for implementation. We also discuss aspects of manufacturability for large pieces of flexible materials, leveraging the lessons learned from small and medium scale testing of SPIcDER on spacesuit materials.