2024-08-27 21:19:33
Scientists in China have developed a method by which at least 50 kg of water can be produced from one ton of lunar soil. According to their claims, this breakthrough could pave the way for people to settle on the moon, writes The Independent.
Previous missions to the Moon, which specifically studied the lunar soil, revealed that the Earth’s moon has large amounts of water. The content is determined to be very low, varying between 0.0001 and 0.02%.
Chinese scientists have developed a method to produce water on the Moon using lunar soil. By heating lunar regoliths, rich in hydrogen, they can create water through a reaction with iron oxides. At temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius, the soil melts and releases water vapor.… pic.twitter.com/RbAjqpdh4n
— China Takeaway (@China24Official) August 22, 2024
The study, published in the journal Innovation, describes a new method that could potentially produce nearly 100 half-liter bottles of water from 1 ton of lunar soil.
The scientists show how, by heating lunar regolith to temperatures above 270°C using circular mirrors, every gram of lunar soil can help generate water.
Another steel mineral that can be found on the moon traps hydrogen in its specific chemical structure consisting of nanometer tunnels, the study also said.
Chinese researchers have discovered a way to extract water from #lunar soil, potentially producing 76 kg of water per ton – enough for 50 people daily! This innovation provides a theoretical basis for building research and space stations on the moon. #LunarWater #SpaceExploration pic.twitter.com/KruZ65e79J
— CGTN Europe (@CGTNEurope) August 22, 2024
If hydrogen from the solar wind is implanted to the mineral, between 51 and 76 mg can be produced. of water for 1 gram of molten lunar soil, the researchers say.
This hydrogen also serves as a “significant resource” for the production of water on the Moon, the scientists note.
More broadly, the new method could help produce nearly 50 kg of water, the researchers said in a statement.
According to the scientists, the method “demonstrates for the first time” the property of hydrogen contained in the lunar soil “to produce significant amounts of water, especially when the regolith is melted at high temperature or subjected to electron irradiation.”
According to them, this amount of water will be enough to cover the daily intake of 50 astronauts.
As long as they can prove they can produce usable water this way, it could be used not only for drinking but also for watering plants for future missions.
Researchers find method to produce water on moon
Chinese researchers have developed a new method that could produce massive amounts of water through the reaction between lunar materials and hydrogen found in surrounding lunar soil. pic.twitter.com/n8sVrseLbS
— China Scientist (@ChinaSciAwards) August 23, 2024
Recent findings provide significant insights into lunar water exploration. They also inform the construction of lunar research stations, the researchers added.
“Our work provides a novel insight into lunar water production through the reaction between hydrogen and lunar materials,” they write.