Space dust (not the sweets)

[Mickc1440]

I was sat at work in the early hours of this morning, all was well on the railway so thought it was safe to chill out for a while unfortunately my brain disagreed. I’d been thinking about the weathering on my Eagle build and started to wonder about dust on the moon. Watching videos of the Eagles landing they always throw up dust but where does this go? Does it just float away or is there sufficient gravity for it to eventually settle back? Would it settle on the spacecraft? All I wanted was to relax

[langy71]

I'm guessing that due to the low gravity on the moon (Isn't it 1/6th the gravity on earth?) it would settle back down gently, so I guess it would settle on the lower extremities such as landing gear, but not so much on the upper areas,
although I'd presume it would also depend on how much is thrown up due to the power or thrust of the engines... (think along the lines of a huge booster such as the Saturn V main booster rockets and the smaller RCS type thrusters) built into ships, such as the Space shuttle.
And I'm also guessing that the Eagle would have a system more akin to the shuttles RCS boosters...

p.s. DISCLAIMER !!!!
'I'm using a lot of assumption here, and I'd like to have it noted that I'm not a rocket scientist or a space cadet despite being called it many times when I were a young'un.. :smiling5: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :smiling5:

[eddiesolo]

Facts about moondust.

1. Moondust (regolith) although looks very fine is actually very sharp due to no weathering. It is that abrasive that it caused damage to the spacesuits and caused wear on the Cromel covering, the silver looking material on the gloves, this a very hard wearing fine mesh. Other things abraded were the suits themselves, patches and equipment.
2. Moondust cause respiratory issues, sinus problems, stuffy head and long term effects are like silicosis.
3. Moondust is positively charged on the face we always look at and negatively charged on the dark side. This is due to stream of ionised particles from the sun. This is another way the moondust clung to items, clothing etc.
4. The gravity is 1/6 than that of Earth so the dust rose up and dropped at the same rate, no air resistance.
5. There is a haze that is you can only see at certain times on the surface, this is suspended particles that have got sufficient charge to hang in 99% vacuum, these particles do fall.

So, to answer your question Mick, the dust would be kicked out from the landers engine, in fact Surveyor 3 was coated from Apollo 14's lander engine dust. The lander would not itself be coated.

[Guest]

The lander would not itself be coated.

That applies to real-world craft, though. Given the long, narrow shape of the Space 1999 Eagle, and the dust getting blown away by the thrusters, which IIRC are mainly at the two ends of it, a certain amount of dust would be blown towards the middle of the craft.

[Airborne01]

I'm guessing that due to the low gravity on the moon (Isn't it 1/6th the gravity on earth?) it would settle back down gently, so I guess it would settle on the lower extremities such as landing gear, but not so much on the upper areas,
although I'd presume it would also depend on how much is thrown up due to the power or thrust of the engines... (think along the lines of a huge booster such as the Saturn V main booster rockets and the smaller RCS type thrusters) built into ships, such as the Space shuttle.
And I'm also guessing that the Eagle would have a system more akin to the shuttles RCS boosters...

p.s. DISCLAIMER !!!!
'I'm using a lot of assumption here, and I'd like to have it noted that I'm not a rocket scientist or a space cadet despite being called it many times when I were a young'un.. :smiling5: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :smiling5:

Space Cadet - disclaimer - your Regiment - really ... ?

[eddiesolo]

That applies to real-world craft, though. Given the long, narrow shape of the Space 1999 Eagle, and the dust getting blown away by the thrusters, which IIRC are mainly at the two ends of it, a certain amount of dust would be blown towards the middle of the craft.

Yeah, you are right the thrusters are underneath between the pod. So, yeah, so dust could be kicked up underneath and onto the landing pads.

[Mickc1440]

I'm guessing that due to the low gravity on the moon (Isn't it 1/6th the gravity on earth?) it would settle back down gently, so I guess it would settle on the lower extremities such as landing gear, but not so much on the upper areas,
although I'd presume it would also depend on how much is thrown up due to the power or thrust of the engines... (think along the lines of a huge booster such as the Saturn V main booster rockets and the smaller RCS type thrusters) built into ships, such as the Space shuttle.
And I'm also guessing that the Eagle would have a system more akin to the shuttles RCS boosters...

p.s. DISCLAIMER !!!!
'I'm using a lot of assumption here, and I'd like to have it noted that I'm not a rocket scientist or a space cadet despite being called it many times when I were a young'un.. :smiling5: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :smiling5:

Thanks for taking the time to reply Chris

Facts about moondust.

1. Moondust (regolith) although looks very fine is actually very sharp due to no weathering. It is that abrasive that it caused damage to the spacesuits and caused wear on the Cromel covering, the silver looking material on the gloves, this a very hard wearing fine mesh. Other things abraded were the suits themselves, patches and equipment.
2. Moondust cause respiratory issues, sinus problems, stuffy head and long term effects are like silicosis.
3. Moondust is positively charged on the face we always look at and negatively charged on the dark side. This is due to stream of ionised particles from the sun. This is another way the moondust clung to items, clothing etc.
4. The gravity is 1/6 than that of Earth so the dust rose up and dropped at the same rate, no air resistance.
5. There is a haze that is you can only see at certain times on the surface, this is suspended particles that have got sufficient charge to hang in 99% vacuum, these particles do fall.

So, to answer your question Mick, the dust would be kicked out from the landers engine, in fact Surveyor 3 was coated from Apollo 14's lander engine dust. The lander would not itself be coated.

Wow Si, school time for me :smiling: I think there will be some dust then

[eddiesolo]

Thanks for taking the time to reply Chris

Wow Si, school time for me :smiling: I think there will be some dust then

It wasn't Apollo 14 it was Apollo 12, no school time when the teacher isn't that good LOL.

[Mickc1440]

That applies to real-world craft, though. Given the long, narrow shape of the Space 1999 Eagle, and the dust getting blown away by the thrusters, which IIRC are mainly at the two ends of it, a certain amount of dust would be blown towards the middle of the craft.

Thanks for that. With 8 thrusters underneath and as they fly with other Eagles, I guess over time they will get dusty.

[eddiesolo]

This pic shows the lander and the Surveyor probe (courtesy of Nasa and Wikipedia) note the dust clinging to the legs of the astronaut.

[eddiesolo]

Thanks for that. With 8 thrusters underneath and as they fly with other Eagles, I guess over time they will get dusty.

If the Eagle lands on the surface it will end up getting dusty in places, due to processes I mentioned. However, bear in mind, that the Eagles had hangers and would have been cleaned regularly so light weathering only. Saying that, after the 'big bang' and the Moon said 'bye-bye' the Eagles would have been used and used and parts not kept as clean so who knows?

Main thing, is to do how you want. I think a bit of dust will add to the piece.

[Mickc1440]

If the Eagle lands on the surface it will end up getting dusty in places, due to processes I mentioned. However, bear in mind, that the Eagles had hangers and would have been cleaned regularly so light weathering only. Saying that, after the 'big bang' and the Moon said 'bye-bye' the Eagles would have been used and used and parts not kept as clean so who knows?

Main thing, is to do how you want. I think a bit of dust will add to the piece.

I think a bit for effect is the order of the day then Si