US EditionOne-Step Solar Reactor Extracts Water, Oxygen from Lunar Soil
CHINA, JUL 18 – The solar-powered photothermal method uses lunar soil and astronauts' exhaled CO2 to produce water, oxygen, and fuel, potentially cutting transport costs of $83,000 per gallon, researchers say.
- On July 16, 2025, researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen unveiled photothermal technology, converting sunlight into heat to extract water, oxygen and fuel precursors from lunar soil.
- Shipping a gallon of water to the Moon costs $83,000, with growing interest in lunar habitation supported by Chang'e-5 samples from 2020 revealing water within regolith.
- The photothermal reactor heats regolith, extracts water, then uses astronaut exhalations' CO2 to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
- Lu Wang acknowledged significant technological and logistical hurdles, and CO2 from astronaut exhalations may not suffice, impacting immediate deployment prospects.
- This advancement represents a promising leap toward lunar habitation, with the next step being demonstrating scalability under lunar conditions including extreme temperature swings and low gravity.
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45 Articles
CU students build virtual-reality moon-exploring robot
DENVER (KDVR) — Students at the University of Colorado Boulder are preparing to explore the moon from the comfort of an earthbound room, after designing a robot that can take them to the moon's surface via virtual reality. The student-built robot could help shape the future of lunar exploration — even though it currently lives in a quiet, carpeted office, the university said in a press release. What to expect for severe storms rolling throu…
A new technology could help humans survive on the Moon, according to scientists at China University in Hong Kong, China.
Chinese scientists propose a way to use lunar soil to allow humans to live on the Moon
Researchers from China have developed a new technology which they say could produce water, oxygen and fuel from lunar soil. The equipment may allow for cheaper, more sustainable space exploration. A single litre of water costs about $33,000 (roughly US$22,000) to ship by rocket to the Moon. Finding ways of utilising lunar resources will be critical if humans are to return there and set up temporary or long-term habitats. Photothermal reactor wit…
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