Making Air From Moon Dust: Scientists Create a Prototype Lunar Oxygen Plant

Researchers are testing a method for extracting oxygen from imitation moon rocks, which could be invaluable to future lunar settlers.

By Erika K. Carlson
Jan 21, 2020 2:20 PMJan 21, 2020 5:18 PM
Moon Base
An artist's impression of a future moon base. (Credit: ESA/P. Carril)

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The European Space Agency has created an experimental “oxygen plant” in the Netherlands that can extract oxygen trapped within simulated moon dust.

Not only does the process extract up to 96 percent of the oxygen in the imitation lunar soil, it also leaves behind metals that might be valuable to future crewed missions that venture to the moon, Mars and beyond.

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