The idea is courtesy of three researchers at the University of Utah and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. In a study published in the journal PLOS Climate, they write that putting lunar dust into orbit could partially obscure the Sun six days out of the year, resulting in a cooler atmosphere. According to their research, these six days alone could lower the amount of sunlight that hits Earth by 1 to 2 percent—enough to boost the efficacy of other climate change mitigation methods down on the ground.
As one can imagine, putting lunar dust into orbit is easier said than done. The researchers estimate that it would take approximately 22 billion pounds of dust to create an orbiting sunshade. Considering humans have only sent about 1% of that weight into space, this would be no easy feat. Computer simulations also suggest that the moon dust must be launched from somewhere in space. This would either be the moon itself or a platform orbiting a million miles away from Earth. Though dust launched from the moon would gradually dissipate, requiring additional launches over time, their second idea was far more expensive, making it less likely to serve Earth’s warming climate in the near future.
Illustration of an orbiting sunshield made of dust. (Image: Ben Bromley/University of Utah)
But why moon dust? Using a computer, the researchers tested the effects of various particles on sunlight’s ability to reach Earth. High-porosity, fluffy particles were found to work best, as they block more light—plus, the researchers note that there’s already a “ready reservoir” of dust on the moon’s surface.
The dust’s six days of relative Sun obstruction wouldn’t create any noticeable effects for us Earthlings. However, their impact could likely be detected by meteorological equipment and other high-tech sensors. It’s fair to say this concept is a bit of a long shot. It’s expensive, for one; it’s also not a one-and-done strategy because dust would need to be re-launched every few days. We’re at a crucial point in the fight against climate change, but one would hope those most responsible for Earth’s warming atmosphere would take other steps to reduce their impact before resorting to T-shirt-cannon-like moon dust launches.
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