Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

NASA Needs Fake Moon Dust

Posted by Zonk on from the like-to-see-the-requisition-form-for-that dept.

crisco writes "NASA's renewed interest in lunar exploration and 'in situ resource utilization,' or ISRU, is driving the need for tons of carefully faked lunar dust and sand for testing purposes: 'We don't have enough real moondust to go around,' says Larry Taylor, director of Planetary Geosciences Institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. To run all the tests, "we need to make a well-qualified lunar simulant.' And not just a few bags will do. 'We need tons of it, mainly for working on technologies for diggers and wheels and machinery on the surface,' adds David S. McKay, chief scientist for astrobiology at the Johnson Space Center (JSC)."

2 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. okay, folks.. by oedneil · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    That's 5 comments so far about leftover sand from the fake lunar landings. How many do we need?

  2. The Best Moon Dust In The Universe... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    They need to send a spaceship out to the planet Dune to pick up a load of sand for the fake moon landing. That should work. Just watch out for the worms and Fremen.