“I think dust is probably one of our greatest inhibitors to a nominal operation on the moon.”
Abrasive lunar dust clings to suits, tools and rovers. Carried indoors, it contaminates occupied spaces; on equipment, it can wear surfaces, clog mechanisms and compromise seals.
Dust effects documented during Apollo ↗
PLAZAIC’s Regolith Dust Decontamination Airlock is designed to remove that dust before crews and equipment enter the habitat. Misting suppresses dust raised during handling, water washing cleans surfaces and suit fabric, and the airlock’s ventilation and condensation loop recovers water for reuse.
A shared model · four interior views
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Wash loop · sides, corners and wheels
An astronaut circles CERBERUS with a handheld sprayer while ceiling misters capture airborne dust.
Drag to look around · scroll or pinch to zoom · arrow keys turn the view · Home returns to the wash lane
The chamber at work
Crews return from the surface with dust on their suits, tools and rovers. They enter the RDDA through a pressure-controlled vestibule. The chamber separates this dirty equipment from occupied spaces while the cleaning cycle takes place.
A fine mist wets loose regolith before equipment is handled or moved. This reduces dust kicked up by activity in the airlock and helps keep particles out of the chamber air during washing.
Directed water washing lifts and flushes regolith from equipment surfaces, wheels, joints and suit fabric. Water and collected dust drain through the grated floor into the collection tray, keeping the wash residue contained.
The airlock’s ventilation and controlled dry-out cycle carry water vapor through filtration to a condenser. Recovered water returns to the wash reservoir while regolith remains in the collection tray. The recovery loop is designed to reuse the wash water with only trace losses before the next cycle.
Suit stations support donning and doffing, oxygen refill and charging. Pressure-controlled vehicle doors and personnel hatches keep the cleaning cycle contained within the airlock, separating the surface from the habitat and maintenance bay.
PLAZAIC / Concept architecture · The model demonstrates the proposed layout and operating sequence. Cleaning performance, water recovery and pressure-system engineering remain to be validated.
Explore the complete lunar worksite ↗