Surface Cleaning Systems
Active Surface Cleaning System
The Active Surface Cleaning System utilizes robotic brushing, compressed gas jets, ultrasonic vibration, and electrostatic neutralization to clear dust from solar panels, radiators, and external sensors. Maintaining operational exterior hardware on the Moon is constrained by the abrasive nature of lunar dust, which scratches optical surfaces under direct mechanical contact. Electrostatic charge on dust grains increases adhesion, requiring neutralization before physical removal. Furthermore, gas jet clearing depends on in-situ resource utilization for propellant since compressed gas is not naturally available in the lunar vacuum. Consequently, cleaning frequency must continuously balance the risk of physical surface degradation against dust accumulation rates over a 100-year operational lifetime.
Robotic brushing, compressed gas, and UV-based cleaning for external surfaces
Purpose
Actively clean dust from solar panels, radiators, sensors, and other external surfaces
Context
Component of L1-DST within the Lunar Ark system
Principles
- ▸Mechanical brushing removes loosely adhered dust but can scratch optical surfaces
- ▸Gas jet cleaning uses compressed gas to blow dust from surfaces without contact
- ▸Ultrasonic vibration dislodges particles through acoustic energy coupling
- ▸Electrostatic neutralization reduces dust adhesion before mechanical removal
Typical implementations
- ▸Mars rover deck cleaning using vibration and tilting
- ▸Semiconductor cleanroom particle removal techniques (adapted)
- ▸Compressed gas cleaning systems for optical telescopes
- ▸Robotic window cleaning systems with spinning brushes
Lunar considerations
- ▸Abrasive lunar dust can scratch optical surfaces if cleaning is too aggressive
- ▸No compressed gas readily available without ISRU production
- ▸Electrostatic charge neutralization needed before mechanical cleaning
- ▸Cleaning frequency must balance surface protection vs. dust accumulation rate
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | Actively clean dust from solar panels, radiators, sensors, and other external surfaces |
Operational
| thermal range c | -173, 127 |
| lifetime years | 100 |
Interfaces
Provides
- Clean radiator and thermal surfaces for proper heat rejection
Requires
- Robotic positioning for surface cleaning operations
- Power for cleaning actuators and systems
Decomposes into
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Surface Cleaning Systems" (L2-DST-CLEAN). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L2-DST-CLEAN
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.