DUSTER

DUSTER (DUst and plaSma environmenT survEyoR) will develop a better understanding of the dust and plasma environment at the lunar south pole and how it varies over time and location to ensure astronaut safety and the operation of exploration equipment. The Moon has no global magnetic field and a tenuous atmosphere, so the surface is directly exposed to the solar wind and ultraviolet radiation, causing lunar dust to be charged and readily stick to all surfaces. Lunar dust is abrasive and poses significant obstacles for space exploration: it infiltrates and degrades equipment and spacesuits, obstructs solar panels and reduces their output, causes overheating of thermal radiators, and may even endanger astronaut health if inhaled. By studying this environment, DUSTER will gain crucial insights that will guide mitigation strategies and methods to enable long-term sustained human exploration on the Moon. DUSTER consists of two instruments: the Electrostatic Dust Analyzer (EDA)—which will measure the charge, velocity, size, and flux of dust particles lofted from the lunar surface—and the Relaxation SOunder and differentiaL VoltagE (RESOLVE) instrument—which will characterize the average electron density above the lunar surface using plasma sounding and detect micrometeoroid impacts and high-speed dust ejecta during lander liftoff by impact-generated plasma plume.