Josh Litofsky leads a Gateway lunar dust adhesion testing campaign at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. His team studies how lunar dust interacts with materials chosen for Gateway's construction. Here, Litofsky carefully positions a sample holder inside a vacuum chamber. Litofksy’s work seeks to validate the Gateway On-orbit Lunar Dust Modeling and Analysis Program (GOLDMAP), developed by Ronald Lee, also of Johnson Space Center. By considering factors such as the design and configuration of the space station, the materials used, and the unique conditions in lunar orbit, GOLDMAP helps predict how dust may move and settle on Gateway’s external surfaces.
Photographer NASA/PHOTO BILL STAFFORD
Album Gateway
Location NASA's Johnson Space Center
Date September 19, 2024