The Moon's scent is surprisingly familiar to those who have walked its surface
In short: While space is often thought of as a sterile vacuum, the Moon has a very distinct aroma. Astronauts from the Apollo missions reported that fresh lunar regolith, the scientific name for moon dirt, carries a scent remarkably similar to spent gunpowder.
The phenomenon was observed by the 'dusty dozen'—the 12 astronauts who participated in NASA's six Apollo lunar landing missions between 1969 and 1972. These explorers often found themselves unable to avoid tracking lunar material back into their spacecraft. Once the cabin air was re-pressurized, the astronauts noticed a potent odor. For instance, Apollo 17 scientist-astronaut Harrison "Jack" Schmitt noted that it took almost exactly seven minutes from the start of re-pressurization to his first comment regarding the gunpowder smell. This olfactory experience was shared by all twelve members of the elite group of moonwalkers. These individuals were frequently unable to escape the pervasive lunar material within their lander homes.
The physical properties of the dust are as striking as its scent. Astronauts described the texture as feeling like soft snow, yet they found it to be surprisingly abrasive, extremely clingy, and nearly impossible to brush off. Beyond touch and smell, some astronauts, such as Apollo 16's Charlie Duke, even noted that the dust had a taste similar to gunpowder. The lunar material was often tracked into the lunar module during excursions. This material proved to be incredibly difficult to remove from their equipment.
Scientists have attempted to explain this olfactory sensation through chemical mechanisms. According to Larry Taylor, head of the University of Tennessee's Planetary Geosciences Institute in Knoxville, the scent arises from extremely reactive dust containing 'dangling bonds'. This hypothesis suggests that olfactory receptors detect these unfulfilled electron connections. This is a similar process to what occurs on Earth when a geologist smashes a rock, releasing an odor generated by the smashing of minerals and the creation of those same dangling bonds. This chemical reaction occurs when minerals are crushed. Such an event releases a distinct odour into the surrounding air.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: What Does the Moon Smell Like?
- Also: The Moon Smells: Apollo Astronauts Describe Lunar Aroma
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