DREAM System | Dust Mitigation Technology for Lunar Applications

Acknowledgements

Project Advisor: James Beseda

Technical Advisor: Dr. Kevin Cannon

Video

Elevator Pitch

We are a team of seven mechanical engineers who set out to develop a solution to NASA’s BIG Ideas challenge. This past year, the challenge centered around mitigating the adverse effects of lunar dust for future space exploration missions. In January, we were joined by six new Senior Design students, four of which are mechanical engineers while the remaining two are electrical engineers, forming an effective team with a variety of experiences and backgrounds. Over the last nine months we have been developing the DREAM system, an innovative technology for the removal of dust from exterior surfaces and equipment on the lunar surface. We are pleased with the progress that we have made, and look forward to seeing where this project goes in the future.

Design Approach

Our first step in developing a solution was to gain an understanding of previously proposed technologies for dust mitigation, as well as NASA’s feedback regarding those proposals. Existing proposals for the mitigation of lunar dust include mechanical, electrostatic, fluidal, and passive methods. No existing method offers a satisfactory solution for long-term, reliable dust mitigation. In many cases, the fault of these existing technologies is that they lack versatility, require an unsustainable amount of energy in order to function, or require too much effort on the part of the crew. Our team’s concept selection prioritized addressing these challenges. 

With this in mind, our team formulated several potential solutions. We consulted with experts in the field of lunar simulants and industry professionals familiar with NASA’s project management structure to better understand the feasibility of different approaches. From there, our team conducted initial testing to verify the theoretical physics and experimental behaviors behind each design, compiling the most promising designs into a design matrix. Ultimately, our team decided to proceed with the DREAM system. After establishing a path forward, our team constructed a series of functional prototypes with which to verify that DREAM operates efficiently within NASA’s lunar architecture. 

The SCRUM project management framework was utilized throughout our team’s design process. Every member of our team had a clearly defined role across the duration of the development timeline, and the iterative nature of the process ensured that feedback from experts and from previous testing was incorporated into each successive stage of the project. Furthermore, the utmost care was taken to ensure that the safety of our team members remained paramount when working with potentially dangerous power levels.

Design Solution

DREAM enables astronauts to easily remove dust from external measurement systems, as well as from payloads and astronauts entering habitats. An electrostatic approach is optimal for dust removal because it is not affected by the varying properties of lunar regolith across the moon’s surface, requires minimal power input, minimizes interference with the existing lunar architecture, and fits in a hand-held tool. The DREAM system consists of an array of thin aluminum plates that generate a localized electric field, an ion generator that electrostatically charges the plates, and a microfiber material to trap regolith. The electric field that emanates from the charged plates, exerting a force on regolith particles. Utilizing this force, DREAM is capable of removing dust from critical mission systems and associated hardware.

If we are to consider the DREAM system a success, it must meet a set of design criteria put forth by NASA. The proposed technology must:

• Be able to manage and mitigate abrasive dust 
• Mitigate small particles
• Present minimal barriers to NASA’s adoption:
  • Low power input
  • Low mass
  • Manageable size
• Be cost-effective
• Be non-flammable
• Operate in the harsh environment of the lunar south pole
  • Temperatures from -243°C to -49°C
  • Multiple day and night cycles
• Reach a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4

Most importantly, the DREAM system does in fact manage and mitigate the effects of abrasive lunar dust, given the fact that it removes particulate matter from critical systems. The particles that the DREAM system was tested with lunar simulants that closely match the composition of regolith found on the lunar surface. DREAM can readily integrate with NASA’s proposed lunar architecture due to its lightweight, cost-effective nature. Additionally, the device is no bigger than a shoe box, ensuring that it can be operated and stowed without issue. Low energy requirements certify that power will not be sacrificed elsewhere in the lunar module in order to operate the device. Extreme temperature ranges have no effect on DREAM’s fundamental operating principles. Our testing plan validated the working prototype in a laboratory environment, thereby advancing the system to TRL 4, in accordance with NASA’s TRL definitions.

Next Steps

The path to successful flight for DREAM will be addressed in a staged process of design, build, test, and improvement to meet TRL 9 before the launch of the 2026 Artemis mission. To increase the amount of dust collected by the device, further tests can explore the amount of voltage and amperage delivered to the ion generator in order to optimize its function. Our testing indicated the existence of a “sweet spot,” at which the most efficient ion generator function can be achieved. Ultimately, since the underlying physics of the DREAM system are well-known, risk of failure is low. If the Colorado School of Mines continues to work on this project, our team recommends partnering with Deep Space Systems for testing. This partnership would provide expertise to ensure components adhere to all NASA standards and requirements, as well as aid in risk retirement. Further development of DREAM would provide a valuable tool to enable a sustained human presence among the stars.

Meet the Team