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Operational issues encountered by Apollo astronauts relating to lunar dust were catalogued, including material abrasion that resulted in scratches and wear on spacesuit components, ultimately impacting visibility, joint mobility and pressure retention. Standard methods are being developed to measure abrasive wear on candidate construction materials to be used for spacesuits, spacecraft, and robotics. Calibration tests were conducted using a standard diamond stylus scratch tip on the common spacecraft structure aluminum, Al 6061-T6. Custom tips were fabricated from terrestrial counterparts of lunar minerals for scratching Al 6061-T6 and comparing to standard diamond scratches. Considerations are offered for how to apply standards when selecting materials and developing dust mitigation strategies for lunar architecture elements.

Access systems for partial gravity planetary exploration are described that may allow humans in spacesuits safe access to scientifically significant terrain on the Moon and Mars. Contingency scenarios are presented for effective rescue of astronauts from flat and sloped terrain. Conclusions and recommendations are offered for Earth-based field testing and potential inclusion of access systems in the larger Lunar surface system architecture.