Lunar soil, or what is known as lunar regolith, is a collection of dust particles, dirt, and crumbled rocks that were formed over billions of years by fixed meteorite collisions on the surface of the moon. Its chemical composition has changed due to the constant bombardment of the solar wind.
Since there are no natural weather processes on the surface of the moon, which lacks an atmosphere and water, scientists found that the lunar soil stuck to the astronauts’ suits and moved into the space probes. They also said it got into their eyes, causing them to redden, and also into their lungs and caused them to cough.
And since many countries and private companies are now interested in sending missions into space, the lunar soil had to be simulated to test the devices and equipment here on Earth before the mission was launched, according to The Verge.
And since the transportation of lunar soil in large quantities was not practical at all, so the fake lunar soil industry emerged by processing the ground rocks and minerals so that they would eventually be similar to the lunar soil. Exolith is one of the leading companies in the field of simulating lunar soil, and it manufactures its components by mixing and grinding a group of minerals together.
In addition to testing equipment and devices, the idea of simulating lunar soil is in line with the ambitious plans of space companies that aim to spend the longest possible period on the surface of the moon and benefit from lunar soil by converting it into any final product such as building materials, solar cells, or fuel, water and oxygen that ensure a longer survival. missions to the moon.
Scientists also want to experiment with fake lunar soil in terms of its ability to perform a range of operations, such as digging inside it, the possibility of vehicles walking over it, and growing plants in it.
Other challenges that lunar soil can cause are the possibility that it could be a cause of geopolitical problems, especially in light of many countries now looking forward to sending lunar missions and placing their exploratory equipment on its surface. The heavy amounts of dust that result from the landing of a country’s missile near an exploration vehicle of another country can damage the latter’s equipment already on the surface of the moon, and this is considered a violation of space treaties and agreements between countries.