Air & rocketfuel can be made at lunar bases - or on Mars

American boffins say they have developed a viable process for making oxygen out of moon dirt, which could allow humans to live for long periods in lunar bases. The new tech has been tried out under the equivalent of the moon's one-sixth-G gravity aboard NASA's famous "vomit comet" low-gee simulator plane.

A long-term moonbase, which is still officially part of NASA's plans for the coming decades - though the whole US manned space programme is seriously imperilled by lack of funds - would surely require a means of producing oxygen locally. Astronauts need the precious gas to breathe, of course, but the need to refuel rockets on the Moon is perhaps even more critical. If all the fuel to be used on the Moon-to-Earth return trips must first be hauled up from Earth to Moon - requiring the burning of huge amounts more rocket juice to do so - the vast majority of the programme's budget and activity will be eaten up simply moving propellants through space.

So the human race - assuming it would like to explore personally beyond its home planet* - would like to have rocketfuel refineries on the Moon. With current chemical rockets, the mainstream spaceflight technology, this also means oxygen. So how to make oxygen out of Moon dirt?

Well, according to boffins at Case Western Reserve uni in Ohio, the way ahead is to scoop up moon dust (probably using a robotic digger machine) and dump it into a hopper. Metal oxide particles of the correct size would be sifted from the dirt and heated with hydrogen at 1000°C, so breaking out the oxygen and attaching it to hydrogen to form water, which could then be used to produce oxygen easily via electrolysis.

The tricky part is the sifting, a process well understood in Earthly gravity but less so under the reduced lunar field. Hence the Case Western brains have been taking their prototype refinery feed machines on flight in NASA's "vomit comet", a aeroplane which zooms upward and then enters a controlled dive to provide either weightlessness inside its cabin or - as in this case - an environment similar to that on the Moon.

"It was as if they were working on the moon, 20 seconds at a time," says Case Western engineering prof David Zeng.

The boffins tried out two different dirt-sorting mechanisms, a "sifter that operates much like a flour sifter" and a jiggling "vibro-table".

"As on Earth, the process[es] worked," report Case Western spokespersons.

Exactly which type of sifter will go into the final oxy-refinery design will depend on further analysis of the results, but it seems clear that a working lunar oxygen factory can practicably be built.

As to how much oxygen such a plant could produce, that would be capped by the amount of power available to run it. Solar power isn't a good option for the Moon in general, owing to the fortnight-long nights, but there are thought to be a few locations on polar crater rims where solar energy could be usefully harvested. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is even now trying to find any such location that might be accessible by lander (a flat spot to set down on would be required).

The other option is a nuclear reactor - but there are those who would say that once you have powerful nuclear reactors in space you no longer need oxygen rocket-fuel. Much more efficient plasma drives would be an option if large amounts of electricity were available.

It's a knotty debate - and one which may be irrelevant in light of NASA's budget problems. But Julie Kleinheinz, aerospace engineering prof at Case Western and veteran vomit-comet rider, says that the oxy-factory tech will still be of use even if Moonbase plans are scrapped in favour of a straight-to-Mars strategy.

"The technology is useful outside the lunar system," she says. "It's applicable to Mars."

There is known to be actual water ice on Mars, however, so the dirt-refinery tech might not be as applicable there. ®

Bootnotes

*Whether it does or not is beyond the scope of this article. We'll just throw in Arthur C Clarke's famous remark:

If man survives for as long as the least successful of the dinosaurs - those creatures whom we often deride as nature's failures - then we may be certain of this: For all but a vanishing instant near the dawn of history, the word "ship" will mean "spaceship".

SOURCE

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (13)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

userful article
written by louis vuitton glasses, December 17, 2010

I just came by your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really liked browsing your blog posts.louis vuitton glasses

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Wonderful article！
written by Replica Thomas Wylde handbags, March 26, 2011

Recently,I found some good websites on buying things, I thought it very good and want to share. It'sDaytona replicas

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by wholesale new era hats, July 12, 2011

If you want to have such a purse,Wholesale New Era Hats

you need to begin Wholesale New Era Hats looking for it in your nearby markets and superstores which are famous for promoting and selling such items.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

breitling
written by breitling tourbillon replica, October 10, 2011

Thank you for this great read!! We offer all kinds of ladies rolex replica watch
audemars piguet watches
and they are made in superior material

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Cheap Moncler Jackets
written by Cheap Moncler Jackets, October 15, 2011

n those days, there is absolutely no any kind of gear with regard to recreational camper to savor their own mountain-climbing. To be able to fulfill this particular require,Cheap Moncler Jackets

• 
• +0
• 
• 

dr dre beats sale
written by dr dre beats sale, November 17, 2011

MBT Shoes or mbt or dr dre beats sale or Dr Dre Headphones or uggs outlet stores or Moncler Outlet or Moncler Jackets or dr dre beats outlet or ugg boots clearance sale or cheap uggs sale or cheap beats by dre or beats by dre outlet or beats by dr dre
MBT Shoes
MBT Shoes clearances

• 
• +0
• 
• 

alain silberstein
written by alain silberstein replica watches, November 30, 2011

Thank you for this great read!! We offer all kinds of watch,and they are made in superior material. alain silberstein replica watches

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by winter clothes, December 01, 2011

I am very admire your article, very good! Also very amazing!

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Nike Free 7.0 V2 Men's Running Shoes Grey Red
written by Nike Free 7.0 V2 Men's Running Shoes Grey Red, December 02, 2011

Designed to be virtually weightless, you'll get the flexibility and ground-feel you're after with the cushioning and support you need to log the miles.Breathable mesh upper soft, pliable overlays for lightweight support and flexibilityMinimal seam construction to reduce chafing, with asymmetrical lacing system to reduce pressure moulded sockliner contours to the natural shape of the footPhylite midsole with deep sipes for lightweight cushioning and enhanced flexibility and stabilityRubber outsole with Waffle fill for durability and traction.



Nike Free 7.0 V2

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Buy replica Hublot watches
written by Buy replica Hublot watches, December 03, 2011

Thanks for providing such informative post, I have subscribed your blog, keep up good work. I don't need sex, life fucks me everyday.❤ Buy replica Hublot watches

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by louboutin sale, December 09, 2011

Really great post, Thank you for sharing This knowledge.Excellently written article, if only all bloggers offered the same level of content as you, the internet would be a much better place. Please keep it up!
polo shirts
polo ralph lauren

• 
• +0
• 
• 

http://www.canadageese.us/
written by Canada Geese, December 13, 2011

Classic Short Uggs with the specific skin type you have. The first step to any skin Kid Canada Goose Chilliwack Bomber care routine is to cleanse.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

change
written by Christian Louboutin outlet, December 15, 2011

Everybody wants to dress up with full ease and style. This can be so natural and usual that human getting usually wants best, they need to have a change and they bring the change.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment