What's new
Frozen in Carbonite

Welcome to FiC! Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

International ESA opens oxygen plant – making air out of moondust

Eliar

Well-known member

ESA's technical heart has begun to produce oxygen out of simulated moondust.

A prototype oxygen plant has been set up in the Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory of the European Space Research and Technology Centre, ESTEC, based in Noordwijk in the Netherlands.

...

"Being able to acquire oxygen from resources found on the Moon would obviously be hugely useful for future lunar settlers, both for breathing and in the local production of rocket fuel."

...

"The production process leaves behind a tangle of different metals," adds Alexandre, "and this is another useful line of research, to see what are the most useful alloys that could be produced from them, and what kind of applications could they be put to.

...


The European Space Agency has set up a prototype oxygen extraction plant from moon rocks. Side products include rocket fuel, various metals and alloys and material to be used for 3D printing in situ.

Not impressive or going bang but essential.
 
Back
Top Bottom