In groundbreaking new research, Chinese scientists have suggested that the soil on the Moon could potentially support life, thanks to a breakthrough technology that may help humans survive on the Moon. According to a study published in the journal Joule, researchers were able to extract water from lunar soil and use it to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuel-related chemicals. This innovation could pave the way for deeper space exploration by reducing dependency on Earth for essential resources like water, oxygen, and fuel.
"We never fully imagined the 'magic' that the lunar soil possessed," Lu Wang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, said. "The biggest surprise for us was the tangible success of this integrated approach. The one-step integration of lunar H2O extraction and photothermal CO2 catalysis could enhance energy utilisation efficiency and decrease the cost and complexity of infrastructure development," Lu Wang added, per Space.com.
In the past, space agencies have floated the idea of using the Moon as an outpost for far-flung explorations of the cosmos. But this might only be possible if experts are able to make the necessary fuel, water and other resources on the Moon itself.
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The Chinese researchers pointed out that studies have shown that transporting supplies from Earth to any future moon base would be expensive because the greater the mass of cargo, the harder a rocket has to work to launch into space. Citing one of the studies, they determined that it would cost $83,000 to ship a gallon of water to the Moon, and yet each astronaut would be expected to drink 4 gallons of water per day. Previous attempts to extract water from lunar soil used large amounts of energy and didn't break down CO2 for fuel and other essential uses.
But now the new system overcomes those problems, scientists said.
The team developed a technology that would both extract water from lunar soil and directly use it to convert the CO2 exhaled by astronauts into carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen gas, which could then be used to make fuels and oxygen for the astronauts to breathe. The technology accomplishes this through a novel system that uses light from the Sun and turns it into heat.
Researchers said that the technology was a success in the lab. However, they noted that the extreme lunar environment still poses challenges that will complicate its usage on the lunar surface, including drastic temperature fluctuations, intense radiation and low gravity.
