The new research results could pave the way for future more practical and easier human explorations of the Moon.
A recent test conducted by researchers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) marked a new breakthrough, as for the first time successfully produces oxygen using simulated lunar soil in vacuum.
Photograph of the surface of the Moon
A photo of the surface of the Moon. (Photo: ƝASA).
For this process to succeed, NASA engineers had to use a 4.6-meter-wide spherical vacuum chamber to shine a high-intensity laser at the objects. simulated regolith or powdered moon dust.
This process is done to simulate melting samples of sunlight in a process called hypothermia.
By maintaining a constant pressure in the reactor, when the simulated lunar soil is heated, a quantity of carbon monoxide is released, making possible the separation of oxygen.
Aaron Paz, senior engineer at JSC, appreciates this success. He asserted: “This technology has the potential to generate significant amounts of oxygen each year on the Moon’s surface, enabling a human presence there and also sustaining the Moon’s economy.”
A carbon thermal reactor containing a NASA high intensity laser
A carbon thermonuclear reactor containing a NASA high-intensity laser at Johnson Space Center (Image: NASA/Brian Sacco).
Anastasi Ford, NASA engineer and test director at JAC, said the test demonstrates NASA’s technical readiness for space exploration. She also revealed an actual test that will be deployed with NASA’s upcoming Artemis missions.
In particular, the most typical is the Artemis 3 mission, which is expected to bring astronauts to the surface of the Moon for the first time in over 50 years.
For missions beyond, such as sending humans to Mars, the US space agency plans to use a permanent colony on the Moon as a springboard.
There, the successful extraction of oxygen from moon rock could yield many practical applications, including the production of oxygen for respiration and even fuel used in rockets.
Post source: Dan Tri
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The new research results could pave the way for future more practical and easier human explorations of the Moon.
