--- title: "Scientist Terrified Astronauts Might Be Shredded by Sandblasts on the Moon" description: "A new theory suggests that rockets blast up plumes of Moon dust at way, way faster speeds than previously thought." date: "2024-06-01" modified: "2024-06-01" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/moon-dust-rocket-sandblasts" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Moon" - "Space" tags: - "artemis" - "moon dust" - "NASA" - "the digest" --- # Scientist Terrified Astronauts Might Be Shredded by Sandblasts on the Moon ![A new theory suggests that rockets blast up plumes of Moon dust at way, way faster speeds than previously thought.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Dust to Dust As NASA prepares to [head back to the lunar surface]() for the first time in more than 50 years, a new theory suggests that the astronauts taking that giant second step for humanity might be way less safe doing so than anyone realized. In [an interview with *Scientific American*](), University of Central Florida physicist Phil Metzger said that new findings about the potential pitfalls of rapidly moving and [mega-toxic lunar dust]()— dubbed "sandblasts" **—** mean astronauts likely need better safety standards to survive. While [researchers have known]() since the last time we went to the Moon that rocket sandblasts can harm equipment and create substantial erosion, issues with exactly how that occurred made figuring out best practices for astronaut, equipment, and surface safety for the forthcoming Artemis missions difficult. This new theory, however, calls into question whether current protections are even adequate to survive the blast impact. ## Blast Off Metzger, in fact, [co-wrote a NASA policy]() advising that small lunar landers not touch down within about 1.2 miles of the Apollo landing sites to protect the site from the crafts' sandblasts. That length cutoff was apparently arbitrary and based on what a six-foot-tall person could see when looking out over the Moon's horizon, *SciAm* reports. There had been working theories about the danger of rocket sandblasts, but to Metzger, the numbers didn't seem to quite fit. In his latest theory, which was [published]() in[ two parts]() by the journal *Icarus*, Metzger proposed that instead of stirring up dust and eroding the lunar surface away, the massive speed from rocket exhaust running parallel to the ground creates a sort of kinetic force that kicks dust up and out in a way more complicated way than previously thought. As such, the tiny accelerated rocks that make up Moon dust may be moving at speeds four to ten times faster than scientists previously thought, which would mean that spacesuits and spacecraft would need to have extra reinforcements. Ultimately, it will be up to NASA and the rest of the international spacefaring community to implement the physicist's suggested changes before any of us make it back to the Moon, even as he continues to perfect his equations. "The amount of damage \[lunar dust\] might cause to a spacecraft," Metzger warned, "could be an order of magnitude worse than we believed." **More on Artemis:** [*Strange Photos Show NASA Astronauts Testing Spacesuits With No Arms*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()