At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the Gaseous Lunar Oxygen from Regolith Electrolysis (GaLORE) project team is currently developing a device could melt the dirt and dust on the Moon made from crushed rock, also called lunar regolith, and turn it into oxygen. The process requires oxidized metals to be heated to more than 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and then an electric current to be passed through the molten material, a process called electrolysis. This causes a chemical reaction that separates gaseous oxygen from the metals. Experts in the field say there are a few technological challenges limiting the application, however. The high temperatures and high iron content in the soil makes for harsh conditions. They also need instrumentation that can withstand extreme conditions on the Moon and operate autonomously. However, if the GaLORE team succeeds in developing this technology, oxygen could then be mass produced on the Moon. The oxygen could be used by astronauts to breathe or it could serve as an oxidizer for fuel. The metal byproducts would not go to waste either as they could be used for building infrastructure and to 3D print the necessary tools and equipment for sustaining human life there and beyond.
