Prototype plant can churn moondust to produce oxygen
ESA researchers aim to build a version of the oxygen-producing system that could be taken to the Moon.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2020-01-21 01:34 GMT
The European Space Agency (ESA) has built a new oxygen plant that could help lunar astronauts produce breathable air in the low gravity region.
It process called molten salt electrolysis with simulated moondust, involves heating regolith placed in a metal basket with molten calcium chloride to 950°C and then passing a current through it to extract oxygen. The process also converts the regolith into usable metal alloys, the agency notes on the official website.
ESA researchers aim to build a version of the oxygen-producing system that could be taken to the Moon and operated there to support not only breathing but also local production of rocket fuel.