Moon's soil can produce oxygen and fuel, say Chinese study

Intensive research is going on to create habitable conditions for humans on the Moon. This includes basic human needs such as water and air, long-term energy sources, construction mechanisms for other residential goods and such others to live there for a long time.

Chinese scientists have told in their study that there are active substances in the lunar soil that can convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuel. These results have come out of the investigation of Chinese samples that were brought from the moon last year in an unmanned Chinese mission to Earth.

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Finding resources on Moon

This report of Chinese scientists has been published in the journal Joule. Now researchers are investigating whether the Moon's resources could be useful for human exploration there and beyond. Materials scientists Yingfang Yao and Jingang Zhou from Nanjing University are trying to develop a system that takes advantage of the moon's soil and its solar radiation.

Stimulating substances

Both these things are abundant resources on the moon. After analyzing soil brought to Earth from China's Chang'e 5 spacecraft, the team of scientists found that these samples contained iron-rich and titanium-rich materials. These substances have the ability to act as catalysts, which can release products such as oxygen from sunlight and carbon dioxide.

Photosynthesis outside the Earth

Based on their observations, the team has proposed the technique of 'photosynthesis outside the Earth'. In this system, lunar soil will be used in the process of electrolysis of water that will be obtained from the respiration process of the moon and astronauts. In this process, oxygen and hydrogen will be mixed with the help of sunlight.

How to get fuel

Carbon dioxide released from the breath of people living on the moon will also be deposited and mixed with hydrogen obtained from electrolysis. In this, soil will act as a catalyst in the hydrogenation process. This will release hydrocarbons like methane which can be used as fuel.

Only sunlight to be used

Researchers say that in this strategy, no external energy will be used except sunlight. It can yield a variety of products, such as water, oxygen, and fuel which will be very useful for supporting life on the moon. The team will try to test this system in future missions to China.

Century of space

Yao explained that they have used environmental resources 'on the spot' to reduce the rocket's payload and that their strategy is providing a sustainable environment for life outside the Earth. It has been told in the research that the catalysts found in the soil of the moon are less effective than the ones found on Earth.

Researchers say that they are trying to make their system better and more effective. Most of the strategies that have been proposed in the past for these purposes need to be sourced from the Earth itself. It has an instrument sent aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover that makes oxygen from carbon dioxide but requires a nuclear battery.

It is said that the way the 17th century had become the era of sea travel, this century is becoming the century of space.