Engineers from Sierra Space, a private company, have developed a machine designed to extract oxygen from lunar soil, also known as regolith. The machine heats up the regolith to extreme temperatures, causing oxygen molecules to bubble out

The machine, which looks like a metal box surrounded by colourful wires, heats up the regolith to extreme temperatures, causing oxygen molecules to bubble out, as per a BBC report.

The experiment, conducted at NASA’s Johnson Space Center this summer, marks a significant step forward. The engineers are optimistic that they can replicate this process on the Moon, where the need for oxygen will be essential not only for astronauts to breathe but also to produce rocket fuel for missions further into space, such as Mars.

The need for oxygen on the moon

The idea of extracting oxygen from the Moon’s regolith is crucial for sustaining life on a lunar base. Since transporting large quantities of oxygen from Earth would be prohibitively expensive, creating a system that generates oxygen from local resources could save billions of dollars in mission costs. Fortunately, regolith is rich in metal oxides, making it a promising source of oxygen. However, the challenge is to adapt the technology to the Moon’s harsh conditions, particularly its low gravity.

Sierra Space’s technology uses a process called carbothermal reduction, where oxygen-containing molecules form naturally as the regolith is heated. The bubbles of oxygen rise freely, making it easier for them to detach from the regolith. This approach has the advantage of working better in low gravity compared to other methods, such as molten regolith electrolysis, which faces challenges in the Moon’s weak gravity.