The lunar environment: Determining the health effects of exposure to moon dusts

Abstract

The Earth's moon presents a hostile environment in which to live and work. There is no atmosphere to protect its surface from the ravages of cosmic radiation, solar wind and micrometeorite impacts. As a result, the moon's surface is covered with a thin layer of fine, charged, reactive dust capable of entering habitats, and vehicle compartments, where it can cause crew member health problems. During the Apollo missions, lunar dusts were introduced into the Lunar Lander and command module, resulting in direct exposure and occasional reports of respiratory, dermal and ocular irritation. Now that we are returning to the moon for long duration stays and multiple space walk exposures, NASA is concerned with the health of the astronauts in regards to repeated (chronic) and acute episodic exposures to lunar dusts. We expect that lunar dust will be returned to the module post-space-walk (extravehicular activity, EVA) activity. These repeated episodic exposures will need to be controlled by our Environmental Control Life Support System, based upon the health standards that we set for acute and chronic exposures. In order to characterize the toxicological effects of lunar dust, NASA formed the Lunar Airborne Dust Toxicity Advisory Group (LADTAG). This interdisciplinary group is composed of experts in space toxicology, lunar geology, space medicine, dust toxicity, and biomedical research. Ultimately, this panel of experts will set health standards and risk criteria for use by vehicle design engineers, operation planners and astronauts during lunar missions.