Soil on the moon contains active compounds that can convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuels, scientists in China report May 5 in the journal Joule. They are now exploring whether lunar resources can be used to facilitate human exploration on the moon or beyond.
Nanjing University material scientists Yingfang Yao and Zhigang Zou hope to design a system that takes advantage of lunar soil and solar radiation, the two most abundant resources on the moon...
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October 18, 2015,
Astronomy/Space
Cartoon illustration. Credit: Christine Daniloff/MIT
Fueling up on the moon could lighten cargo by 68% on the journey to Mars. Previous studies have suggested that lunar soil and water ice in certain craters of the moon may be mined and converted to fuel.
The group developed a model to determine the best route to Mars, assuming availability of resources and fuel-generating infrastructure on the moon. They found the most mass-efficient path involves launching a crew from Earth with just enough fuel to get into orbit around Earth. A fuel-producing plant on the surface of the moon would then launch tankers of fuel into space, where they would enter gravitational orbit...
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