Lunar DustCam

The proposed Lunar DustCam is a very low C-SWAP imaging system for in situ monitoring of sunlight scattered by naturally mobilized dust (e.g., from meteoroid impacts, electrostatic lofting and levitation) as well as “collateral” dust ejected by surface operations (e.g., lander plumes, astronaut and rover traverses, and ISRU). Lunar dust is known to be an exploration hazard on the Moon due to its deleterious effects on imaging systems, thermal radiators, and moving parts, such that characterizing dust transport is a critical requirement for safe operations. The Artemis III SDT report outlines the importance of real-time lunar dust monitoring and determination of dust accumulation on habitats, equipment, and optical surfaces. Development of Lunar DustCam will provide a critical capability needed for safe lunar surface operations during the upcoming Artemis missions. This IRAD will focus on the design and breadboard of the input optics of a single camera channel. Scope of work will include: 1) creating a detailed model of the input lens using optical ray-tracing software; 2) the assembly of a breadboard instrument using readily available COTS parts; and 3) basic system characterization. An additional task of this IRAD will be to identify flight-rated hardware for future flight opportunities. DustCam will consist of independent, bore sighted, sideby-side, monochrome cameras with identical optics and crossed linear polarizers, able to achieve both high spatial resolution and large field-of-view. The camera pairs will measure both radiance and polarization of dust-scattered sunlight, enabling estimates of particle size, shape and abundance, with the added advantage of focal plane redundancy. The camera pairs can be mounted on any platform, either on the surface or in orbit, where dust monitoring will be a priority. Additional applications beyond the lunar surface include dust imaging at Mars, asteroids, comets, and the Enceladus plumes.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.