Sierra Space is developing a technology to extract oxygen from lunar regolith, which could be vital for future lunar bases and Mars missions. During tests at NASA's Johnson Space Center, engineers used a specially designed machine that heated regolith to high temperatures, releasing oxygen molecules. Program manager Brant White emphasized the significance of this innovation, which could save billions in mission costs and reduce dependency on Earth. The project also explores potential metal extraction from lunar debris, though challenges persist due to the unique conditions on the moon.
"We've tested everything we can on Earth now," says Brant White, a program manager at Sierra Space. "The next step is going to the moon."
"What the team hopes for is to make oxygen from lunar regolith to support future astronauts on the moon and potentially Mars."
"It could save billions of dollars from mission costs," explains Mr. White, emphasizing the advantages of extracting resources from the Moon instead of bringing them from Earth.
"The science of extracting oxygen from metal oxides is well understood on Earth, but doing this on the moon presents significant challenges due to the conditions."
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