NASA has outlined its plans to develop lunar resources, beginning with the extraction of oxygen and water, and potentially expanding to include iron and rare earth elements, according to a scientist. The primary objective of NASA’s Artemis mission is to facilitate the return of American astronauts to the Moon by 2025, including the first African-American woman and person. This mission will also serve as a critical stepping stone for future manned missions to Mars.
An integral aspect of the Artemis mission is to stimulate commercial opportunities in space. NASA aims to assess the potential resources available on the lunar surface, such as energy, water, and lunar soil (regolith), to attract private sector investments. By harnessing these resources, the agency intends to reduce costs and establish a self-sustaining economic system in space.
NASA plans to deploy a test drill to the Moon later this month, with the objective of conducting large-scale excavation of lunar soil by 2032. This lunar soil, or regolith, will be of interest to commercial rocket companies, who can utilize it for purposes like fuel production and oxygen extraction.
The Australian Space Agency is actively involved in these endeavors and is currently developing a semi-autonomous rover that will collect regolith samples on a NASA mission as early as 2026. These samples will contain oxygen in the form of oxides, and NASA plans to employ specialized equipment to extract the oxygen from the lunar soil.
The successful extraction of oxygen from lunar regolith marks a significant milestone in establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and will play a crucial role in supporting future missions to Mars.