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Lunar Dust and Duct Tape

Lunar Dust and Duct Tape

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Why is the Moon so dusty? On Earth, rocks are weathered by wind and water, creating soil and sand. On the Moon, eons of constant micrometeorite bombardment have blasted away at the rocky surface creating a layer of powdery lunar soil or regolith. For the Apollo astronauts and their equipment, the pervasive, fine, gritty dust was definitely a problem. On the lunar surface in December 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan needed to repair one of their rover’s fenders in an effort to keep the rooster tails of dust away from themselves and their gear. This picture reveals the wheel and fender of their dust covered rover along with the ingenious application of spare maps, clamps, and a grey strip of “duct tape”. Northern Hemisphere Alert : March 29 Partial Solar Eclipse

Courtesy of NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

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Ken & Judy O
Ken & Judy O'Neill
4 years ago

Apollo 17, as if it was just yesterday.Lets get there again in 2024.

Ken & Judy O
Ken & Judy O' Neill
2 years ago

The good old “moon rover” easy fix to the wheel guard while on the moon .