Chang'e-5: Chinese scientists use lunar soil to produce water
Researchers from China have developed a new method to extract significant amounts of water from rock samples from the moon from the 2020 Chang'e-5 mission.
Illustration of one of the many maneuvers in the course of the Chang'e 6 mission.
(Image: CNSA)
The search for water resources is an important goal of lunar missions. However, both natural water (H2O) and the alcohol structural element hydroxyl (OH) are considered to be in short supply on the Earth's satellite. According to Chinese scientists, they have now developed a new process to extract comparatively large quantities of water from lunar soil. They are using rock samples that the Chang'e 5 space probe collected on the moon in 2020 and brought back to Earth.
The Chinese state broadcaster CCTV refers to a "brand new method" developed by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. At its core, hydrogen-containing lunar minerals are heated to produce water vapor, the scientists write in an article for the science magazine Innovation. Iron(II) oxide (FeO) and iron(III) oxide, also known as hematite (Fe2O3), are lunar minerals that contain chemical compounds of iron and oxygen. The hydrogen retained in these rocks by the solar wind could be used to produce water.
One ton of lunar soil for dozens of kilos of water
Of the five primary minerals in the lunar debris brought back by the Chang'e-5 mission, iron titanate contains the highest hydrogen content, the researchers explain. This is due to its unique lattice structure with sub-nanometer tunnels. The heating experiments with a transmission electron microscope showed for the first time the simultaneous formation of iron crystals and H2O bubbles. Electron irradiation promotes the endogenous redox reaction, which is helpful for understanding the OH distribution on the moon. With this approach, around 51 to 76 kilograms of water could be obtained from one ton of lunar soil, which corresponds to the daily drinking requirements of 50 people. The water produced would also be suitable for watering plants or producing oxygen and hydrogen for energy generation.
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The discovery could be of crucial importance for future lunar research stations and space exploration. China and Russia want to build an international lunar research station with the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The US government and its space agency NASA are pursuing their own ambitions with the manned Artemis mission, creating a new race to the moon. NASA chief Bill Nelson has repeatedly warned considering the rapid progress in the Chinese space program that the Middle Kingdom could dominate the most resource-rich areas on the Earth's satellite.
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