Photoelectric Charging by Ultraviolet Light of a Lunar Dust Simulant in a Microgravity Environment

A microgravity experiment to test the electrostatic behavior of a lunar dust simulant being charged through the photoelectric effect will expand understanding of the charging characteristics of dust particles and may lead to a possible mitigation solution. With a design based upon Robert Millikan’s oil-drop experiment, this experiment is designed to observe the interactions of a lunar dust simulant without the conflicting effect of a dominant gravitational force. The dust particles will be charged by means of a lamp capable of photon energies necessary to emit electrons by the photoelectric effect. In the presence of an axial electric field, the photo-electrons and charged dust will be attracted to opposing sides of a capacitor and the net charge over time as well as physical trajectories of the particles can be determined. Although this experiment is not designed to provide a dust mitigation strategy for lunar regolith, an increased understanding of the charging properties of silica by means of the Get Away Special Team’s experiment benefits the scientific community