A New Facility Is Turning Moon Dust Into Oxygen for Future Space Settlers
via MOTHERBOARD
Normally, it would be inadvisable to breathe in Moon dust, given that it is packed with spiky particles that can injure or kill people if inhaled. But though it is dangerous in its raw form, processed lunar soil could become a major source of breathable air for future astronauts tasked with exploring the Moon’s surface.
Nearly half of the Moon’s soil is made of oxygen, an essential resource for human life support as well as a useful ingredient for many fuels. To figure out how to extract extraterrestrial oxygen on future Moon missions, scientists have established the first prototype of a small oxygen-producing plant, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).