Solar Wind Creates Electric Charge on Martian Moon Phobos

[Judi Lynn]

By Samantha Mathewson, Space.com Contributor | October 22, 2017 07:31am ET

NASA has set its sights on the Martian moon Phobos as a potential initial base for human exploration of the Red Planet — but powerful solar eruptions could throw a wrench in this plan.

A new NASA study shows that solar wind — the stream of electrically charged particles that the sun blows out into space — creates a complex electrical environment on Phobos, which could possibly affect astronauts and any scientific equipment brought to the irregularly shaped moon in future missions.

"We found that astronauts or rovers could accumulate significant electric charges when traversing the night side of Phobos — the side facing Mars during the Martian day," William Farrell, lead author of the study from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a statement. "While we don't expect these charges to be large enough to injure an astronaut, they are potentially large enough to affect sensitive equipment, so we would need to design spacesuits and equipment that minimizes any charging hazard." [Moons of Mars: Amazing Photos of Phobos and Deimos]

In theory, astronauts would travel to Phobos and remotely operate robots on the Martian surface, reducing the considerable time delay faced by Earth-based operators. NASA has considered Phobos as a possible initial basebecause its weak gravity makes it easier to land spacecraft, astronauts and supplies, according to the statement. 

More:
https://www.space.com/38530-solar-wind-charges-mars-moon-phobos.html?utm_source=notification

[Xipe Totec]

1. On the other hand...

Electrostatic Glider Could Maneuver Around Asteroids Without Expending Fuel

Usually, dusty and variably electrically charged environments are something that spacecraft do their absolute best to avoid, but JPL thinks that there may be a way to leverage this kind of environment to propel a spacecraft. A field of 1 kV/m has enough electrical potential to “lift” a small vehicle weighing about one kilogram. The vehicle would use 1-meter-diameter metal “wings” for electrostatic (rather than aerodynamic) flight, articulating them to move through ambient electrostatic fields. The energy to do this comes from the solar wind by way of whatever body the vehicle is next to, giving the craft maneuvering fuel that won't run out until the sun shuts down (at which point you likely have bigger problems).


https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/space-flight/electrostatic-glider-can-maneuver-around-asteroids-without-expending-fuel