Autonomous Lunar Dust Observer for the Systematic Study of Natural and Anthropogenic Dust Phenomena on Airless Bodies

Introduction: Most of the lunar surface is covered with a thick layer of regolith composed of rock fragments and dust that have evolved through billions of years of constant destructive meteoroid bombardment. From the Apollo mission experiences, it is clear that long term lunar surface experiments and human activities, as anticipated for the Constellation program, must necessarily deal with the ubiquitous presence of dust. A sustained return to the moon will afford a unique opportunity to characterize and understand the dust suspension and transport “weather” phenomena on airless bodies