Chinese scientists turn Moon soil into oxygen and water needed for life
'This approach enhances energy utilization efficiency and decreases the complexity of lunar infrastructure,' Wang explained.The practical barrier to Moon colonisation remains the immense cost and logistics of shipping water and fuel for astronauts. With a single gallon of water costing about $83,000 to transport from Earth, a lunar base would quickly become unsustainable.Recent analysis of soil from China's Chang'E-5 mission has proven the presence of water-bearing minerals, offering hope that future explorers could tap into these resources.Previous lunar water extraction techniques required several complicated, energy-hungry steps, failing to recycle CO2 for further essentials like fuel. The Chinese team's technology brings new efficiency, using lunar ilmenite—an abundant, water-storing black mineral—and ingenious photothermal reactors to tap both water and sunlight for a simpler, more sustainable process.However, challenges remain: the harsh lunar environment, varying soil compositions, intense radiation, and unpredictable temperature swings all pose significant obstacles.Moreover, the current technology's efficiency is insufficient to fully support a lunar habitat, and the volume of CO2 from astronaut respiration alone may not meet ongoing demand for water and oxygen.The Chinese team acknowledges that 'overcoming these technical hurdles and significant associated costs in development, deployment, and operation will be crucial to realising sustainable lunar water utilisation and space exploration.'Nonetheless, their work marks a bold step toward making long-term Moon missions—and perhaps eventual space colonies—a closer reality.- EndsMust Watch
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Time of India
11 hours ago
- Time of India
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21 hours ago
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21 hours ago
- News18
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