All articles tagged with #moon soil
A new device uses sunlight to extract water and produce oxygen from lunar soil, potentially reducing the need to transport supplies from Earth for lunar bases, and leveraging minerals like ilmenite to maximize resource utilization on the Moon.
Scientists have developed a method using sunlight to extract water from lunar soil and produce oxygen and fuel, potentially enabling sustainable lunar missions and reducing reliance on supplies from Earth.
China's National Space Administration is seeking domestic developers to create instruments for the Chang'e 8 mission, including a device to make bricks out of moon soil and a robot to assemble them. The mission, scheduled for 2028, aims to lay the groundwork for the International Lunar Research Station at the moon's south pole. The instruments will study local geology, test resource utilization technologies, and conduct Earth observations. China is also calling for development submissions on nine scientific instruments, including an in situ device to melt lunar soil and a robot to assemble parts on the lunar surface. The mission will also test life-supporting technologies for a long-term human presence on the moon and reserve payload for partner countries.
China plans to start building a lunar base using soil from the moon in five years, with the work set to kick off in five years. A team is designing a robot named "Chinese Super Masons" to make bricks out of lunar soil. The robot will be used to build infrastructure on the moon, which is needed for long-term lunar explorations.
China plans to start building a lunar base in about five years, using bricks made of moon soil during the Chang'e 8 mission around 2028, according to scientists with ties to the project. The lunar base will likely be powered by nuclear energy and will include a lander, hopper, orbiter, and rover, all of which would be constructed by the Chang'e 6, 7, and 8 missions. The moon is believed to contain a source of waste-free nuclear energy that could meet global energy demands for 250 years.