Buried under the Sand: Good or Bad for technology?

So, here's the setup. Spaceship emergency lands on a habitable planet in the middle of a desert. Being a desert with decent wind movement, the ship quickly ends up being buried under the sand.

A few centuries later, someone finds the ship. What condition would it be in? Let's assume that the ship won't be harmed by the sand itself - But time isn't always the best of buddies to things.

Would being buried under the sand protect and preserve this ship, or would it cause more problems?

EDIT: To clarify a few things:

1. Let's assume that the external skin of the ship, being designed for protection against incredible speed micro-meteors, is impervious to sand for the "Short Duration" that it is exposed. This might be a few hours for a sandstorm, or a few days/weeks for more simple things
2. I don't expect the ship itself to be functioning. In an emergency landing situation, things probably aren't functioning perfectly in the first place.
3. The original question was more aimed at the sand portion - Does burying something in sand - in this case, a space ship - help with preservation, or does it hinder? I know some of the reasons we have such well-preserved mummies is the climate, but the Pharaoh is organic, and also stored in a specially prepared place. Would the interior of the spacecraft take on the aspects of such a place?

posted over 7 years ago

Andon‭

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