In the interests of science (as well as pure human curiosity), Apollo astronauts have touched, smelled and even tasted Moon dust. Apparently, it's as fine as flour but abrasive, plus it both smells and tastes like gunpowder.Apr 1, 2015
What does Moon Dust taste like?
Why is Moon dust toxic?
Lunar dust has silicate in it, a material commonly found on planetary bodies with volcanic activity. Miners on Earth suffer from inflamed and scarred lungs from inhaling silicate. On the Moon, the dust is so abrasive that it ate away layers of spacesuit boots and destroyed the vacuum seals of Apollo sample containers.
What does Moon dust smell like?
gunpowder After walking on the Moon astronauts hopped back into their lunar lander, bringing Moon dust with them. They were surprised, and perplexed, to find that it smelled like spent gunpowder.
What happens if you inhale Moon dust?
The longer the particle stays, the greater the chance for toxic effects. The potential damage from inhaling this dust is unknown but research shows that lunar soil simulants can destroy lung and brain cells after long-term exposure.
Is Moon dust harmful to humans?
A study has recently shown that human neuron and lung cells exposed to simulated lunar dust experienced DNA damage and cell death, even in very small quantities. This isn't totally unexpected. Earth dust can have similar effects, toxic or not. Volcanic ash has been known to cause bronchitis and emphysema when inhaled.
Is moon dust corrosive?
Because there's no wind on the moon, the dust never erodes. Instead, grains of moon dust — which are largely the products of micrometeorite impacts — remain sharp and abrasive and can easily slice into an astronaut's lung cells if breathed in too deeply.
How much does moon dust cost?
The US space agency NASA awarded contracts to four companies on Thursday to collect lunar samples for $1 to $15,000, rock-bottom prices that are intended to set a precedent for future exploitation of space resources by the private sector.
Is it safe to touch a moon rock?
The lunar Touchrock is one of the most popular objects in the National Air and Space Museum. WITHIN NASA IT IS KNOWN AS sample 70215, 84. … “It” is the lunar Touch Rock, one of only three samples returned by the Apollo astronauts that the public is allowed to feel with their bare hands.
Do astronauts Make Love in space?
According to reports, NASA and other space agencies have so long denied the occurrence of any sexual activity in the space. … As per a report by the New York Post, John Millis, a physicist and astronomer, compared having sex in space to having intercourse while “skydiving”. However, he added that it was “not impossible.”