Moon plasma environment and its implications for lunar space missions

Abstract

This study investigates the lunar plasma environment and its implications for the safety and success of future crewed missions to the Moon. The Moon’s plasma environment, formed by the solar wind, galactic cosmic rays and solar flare particles, presents potential hazards to human life and property. The study focuses on simulating the lunar plasma environment at various points along the Moon’s orbit, particularly in regions behind the Earth, such as the bow shock, magnetotail, and magnetosheath, using a self-consistent 3D quasi-neutral hybrid model. The findings of this work reveal significant variations in plasma characteristics, such as density, temperature and velocity. This thesis identifies potential risks to human health, surface infrastructure and spacecraft systems due to these dynamic plasma conditions, especially in regions with increased plasma density and temperature. By analyzing the simulation results, this research aims to enhance the understanding of the plasma environment’s effects on human resources and life, ultimately contributing to the safety and success of future crewed missions to the Moon.