Vacuum cementing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vacuum cementing or vacuum welding is the natural process of solidifying small objects in a hard vacuum. The most notable example is dust on the surface of the moon.

This effect was reported to be a problem with the first American and Soviet satellites, as small moving parts would seize together.

[edit] References

• The Implications of the Ranger Moon Pictures (Page 4 references lunar dust vacuum welding)
• Lunar Rated Fasteners (Page 3 specifies how to build components resistant to vacuum welding)

[edit] See also

• cold welding

[edit] Fictional References

• Larry Niven's short stories and book Protector (novel)