Erosion assessment with Martian dust

Safe and long-lasting extraterrestrial life is based on permanent human settlements on other planets or satellites, which imposes reliable operating life and reduces overhaul and maintenance of systems and structures. The condition for the safety and long life of components is dramatically connected to the environment in which they operate. Temperature, pressure, and contamination by suspended particles represent the most significant safety and continuous operability obstacles. This analysis assesses the erosion behavior of engineering materials, commonly used in components and devices designed for ground and aerial Martian operations, against Martian simulant dust. The erosive detriment generated by Martian dust has been compared to that occurs with the terrestrial soil, assessing the relationship to predict the life's component on the Martian surface.