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How engineers are creating oxygen for future moon missions from material found on the moon

Engineers are developing innovative methods to produce oxygen on the Moon using lunar regolith, the Moon's surface material, to support future human missions. This initiative is part of NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon. The process involves extracting oxygen from the regolith, which contains oxides of iron and other metals. One method being explored is the use of molten salt electrolysis, where regolith is heated and subjected to an electric current to separate oxygen from the metal oxides. This not only provides breathable air but also potentially water and rocket fuel, reducing the need to transport these essentials from Earth. The European Space Agency (ESA) and other international partners are also involved in these experiments, testing the technology both in simulated lunar conditions on Earth and through actual lunar missions. This technology could be crucial for long-term lunar habitation and for missions to Mars, where similar resource utilization would be necessary.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-us/science/environmental-science/how-engineers-are-creating-oxygen-for-future-moon-missions-from-material-found-on-the-moon/ar-AA1xRI5m ]