construct a lunar habitat (similar to the one South Korea aims to establish by 2045) and flourish on the moon’s surface from our base on Earth, estimates from researchers suggest it would require approximately $83,000 per gallon to ferry water from Earth to the moon. But what if we could produce water and other essential resources directly utilizing the moon’s materials?
This concept is at the heart of a recent study conducted by Chinese researchers (published in Joule) that claims to have discovered a method to generate water from lunar soil. For long-term habitation to be viable, we must develop a more intelligent, efficient means to produce water. If we can derive water from lunar dust, it could provide a seemingly endless supply for astronauts.
“We never completely envisioned the ‘magic’ that the lunar soil held,” said Lu Wang, a researcher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, in a statement. “The most significant surprise for us was the concrete success of this integrated method. The one-step integration of lunar H2O extraction and photothermal CO2 catalysis could improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce the cost and complexity of building infrastructure.”
