Journal of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics

Review Article Pages 621-635

Electrostatic Power from Negatively Charged Lunar Regolith

Authors: Sang H. Choi, Hyun Jung Kim and Robert W. Moses

Abstract: Constant bombardment of electrons and protons from the solar wind and energetic plasmas in the terrestrial plasma-sheet has charged the lunar regolith negatively. The dust accumulated on spacesuits, including the vision goggles, by electrostatic charge caused reduced visibility for the astronauts, and was unavoidably transported inside the spacecraft where it caused respiratory irritation. In the lunar vacuum (~10 -12 torr), the maximum charge on the particles remains extremely high because the charge dissipation of the regolith, by random collision frequency of lunar atmospheric molecules, is very low.

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