Turning lunar dust into oxygen–and using leftovers

ISLAMABAD   –  British engineers are fine-tuning a process that will be used to extract oxygen from lunar dust, leaving behind metal powders that could be 3D printed into construction materials for a Moon base. It could be an early step to establishing an extra-terrestrial oxygen extraction plant. This would help to enable exploration and sustain life on the Moon while avoiding the enormous cost of sending materials from Earth. The oxygen generated would mostly be used to make rocket fuel, but could also provide air for lunar settlers. The project is part of ESA’s preparations to establish a permanent and sustainable lunar presence. Astronauts will live and work on the Moon, where they will help to develop and test technologies needed for missions farther into deep space. Lunar regolith, the thin layer of dusty rock that blankets the Moon, is not so different from the minerals found on Earth. By weight, it contains about 45% oxygen which is bound to metals such as iron and titanium, making it unavailable.