All 12 moonwalkers had "lunar hay fever" from dust smelling like gunpowder (2018)
Moon dust from the Apollo missions is described as “fine like powder, but sharp like glass,” causing hay-fever-like symptoms, equipment failures, and long-term concerns about toxicity similar to asbestos or silicosis. Commenters explore how the lack of weathering on the Moon keeps dust particles jagged and electrostatically clingy, making containment and decontamination a major design problem for future lunar bases and spacesuits. The conversation broadens to compare lunar hazards with Martian perchlorate toxicity and other planetary risks, with many arguing that large-scale colonization or terraforming may be far harder and less attractive than staying on — or in orbit around — Earth.
Lunar Dust: Properties and Hazards
- Lunar regolith is described as “fine like powder, sharp like glass,” highly abrasive, and electrostatically charged.
- It sticks to suits, skin, tools, and interior surfaces; Apollo reports describe hardware (locks, hinges, mirrors, cameras) progressively jamming despite cleaning attempts.
- Dust irritates eyes, skin, and lungs; astronauts reported “lunar hay fever.” It can damage seals and mechanical systems.
- Comparisons are made to asbestos, fiberglass, and silicosis: particles are sharp, biologically indigestible, and may accumulate in lungs with chronic exposure.
- Many note Apollo exposure was brief, suggesting low but nonzero lifetime cancer risk; concern is focused on long-term bases rather than short missions.
Smell, Oxidation, and Ozone
- Moon dust and airlocks reportedly smell like spent gunpowder when first exposed to air; commenters attribute this to rapid oxidation of previously unoxidized minerals, especially sulfides.
- Airlocks and EVA gear in orbit are said to smell like ozone, burnt metal, or burnt steak, linked to hard vacuum, atomic oxygen, and surface reactions.
- Long subthread on ozone and UV sterilization: how to generate it, its strong oxidizing and health risks, and proper precautions.
Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Terraforming
- Mars regolith contains perchlorates; some see this as a major toxicity challenge requiring strict isolation or biochemical detox, others note their main effect (thyroid disruption) may be medically manageable and/or chemically neutralizable (e.g., water, microbes).
- Venus cloud cities and Mercury subsurface habitats are discussed as alternative concepts, each with serious trade-offs.
- Several argue full planetary terraforming (Mars, Moon) is likely beyond practical energy and material limits; crustal reactions would consume introduced oxygen on geological timescales.
- Others counter that over centuries–millennia, self-sustaining biological processes might transform environments, citing Earth’s Great Oxidation Event.
Alternative Settlement Concepts and Engineering
- Strong support from some for skipping planets entirely and building rotating space habitats with artificial gravity, controlled environments, and asteroid-sourced materials.
- Mitigation ideas for dust and toxicity: suitports (suits stay outside), electrodynamic dust shields, electrostatic repulsion, air showers, and sintered-regolith “concrete” floors or construction.
Meta: Value of Space vs Earth
- Multiple comments stress that space and other bodies are extraordinarily hostile; Earth is “pretty nice” and deeply undervalued.
- Skepticism toward “we’ll just move to Mars” narratives; concern that such stories may enable neglect of Earth.
- Tangents cover astronaut fitness, hygiene vs immune system, and whether space budgets are ethically justified relative to homelessness and war, with disagreement but no clear consensus.