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Completed TRL 4 (started at 2, targeting 4)
Dust is a ubiquitous problem for surfaces during lunar and Martian missions, especially for surfaces requiring high optical clarity. One method of removing this dust is by using a glass and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodynamic dust shield (EDS) to generate a high-voltage electric field, removing the dust. Recent advancements in the fabrication of a glass EDS using laser ablation techniques help to optimize the performance and reduce the operating voltage of a glass EDS. Further improvements to the EDS are hindered by the top cover layer thickness of the EDS. This proposal aims to find a new coating method to reduce the size of the outer dielectric layer for a glass EDS. Initial testing with a silicon dioxide coating have shown hints towards success, but further testing and modeling is necessary to find the optimal layer thickness
The glass EDS can be used to keep dust off most surfaces that require high optical transmission such as windows, solar panels, and cameras. Reducing the operating voltage by optimizing the cover layer thickness will reduce risk of electrical interference, which will be a major problem for small scale missions, such as EagleCam. The EDS on EagleCam currently disrupts the cameras on board due to electrical interference. Simpler electronics to reach the lower voltages may improve payload weight and price for any mission using a glass EDS
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