Scientists Say They’ve Found a Way to Make Oxygen From Moon Dust

Futuris, ^ | 01/17/2020 | Viktor Tangermann

[BenLurkin]

Their prototype system mixes simulated lunar regolith — they have yet to try it with the real thing — with molten calcium chloride salt. The scientists then heat the mixture up to 950 degrees Celsius and run a current through it, releasing oxygen — a process called molten salt electrolysis.

The electrolysis process has another useful byproduct: metal alloys. The scientists are also investigating applications to make best use of these alloys on the Moon.

The team is looking to design a “pilot plant” that could be operated on the Moon by the mid-2020s.

[Jeff Chandler]

One of these days, Alice . . .

[ProtectOurFreedom]

...heat the mixture up to 950 degrees Celsius

Now that's a trick. I guess they are going to do that by burning all the Moon Coal with the oxygen they make in this process.

[Redcitizen]

Cool. All we need is a thorium reactor up there and there will be a constant source of power to make air and metals. That would go a long way to making a sustainable outpost on the moon. Or mars for that matter.

[BenLurkin]

Windmills

[Viking2002]

"..........and in related news, geoscientists have announced that they have successfully converted Nancy Pelosi's regolith into a substance labeled, 'old fart dust'. However, it is hard to contain, and and can pollute the atmosphere years after it's half-life has expired."

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Windmills? Sheesh, everybody knows that they will overspeed in the Moon Winds and tear themselves to bits.

Nice try, though.

[yesthatjallen]

Draper eventually finds a rock face cave for shelter. He figures out how to obtain the rest of what he needs to survive: he burns some coal-like rocks for warmth and discovers that heating them also releases oxygen. This allows him to refill his air tanks with a hand pump and to move around in the thin Martian atmosphere.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars

[babygene]

“and there will be a constant source of power to make air and metals.”

The only metal your going to get with calcium salts is calcium. Since it reacts explosively with H2O, it’s not an ideal building material.

[jz638]

Until science figures out how to make people (and the microbes that live inside people) much more radiation tolerant, there’s no colony on the moon. More visits maybe...hopefully... but no long term residents.

[Larry Lucido]

Lunar warming!

[Larry Lucido]

Well, it’s not like it rains every day up there.

[BenLurkin]

Saw that movie at the theater when it was first realeased. It all seemed realistic to me at the time.

[BenLurkin]

Lava tubes. Like the Selenites.

[867V309]

Windmills? Sheesh,

impossible, peta will protest the killing of lunar wildlife just like they have here.

...oh, wait...

[mrsmith]

Lots of hydrogen in the solar wind captured on the Moon.
Oxygen has a natural ‘collector’ there.

Water is a very handy substance.

[mrsmith]

Caves.

[Fungi]

Nonsense.

[mrsmith]

I’m sure an idiot could drink a cool glass of water and deny its’ existence LOL!

Idiots have their own … whatever.

[Crazieman]

Calcium does not react explosively with water.