Indian media: Chinese scientists have made breakthroughs in lunar exploration, developing a technology that can extract water from lunar soil and convert it into oxygen and fuel chemical raw materials. This could significantly reduce the need to transport life-support supplies from Earth to the Moon.
The study was published in Joule on July 16, using photothermal catalysts to convert extracted water and carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts in a single reaction into oxygen and fuel precursors, improving energy efficiency and simplifying the infrastructure of a lunar base.
Lunar water comes from mineral samples confirmed by Chang'e-5, especially abundant black hydrated minerals—ilmenite. Compared with previous complicated and energy-intensive methods, this technology uses light energy and the water storage properties of minerals to achieve a more sustainable process. However, its efficiency is still insufficient to fully support lunar habitation, and it faces challenges such as harsh environments, radiation, temperature differences, and costs. The research team said this is an important step forward for long-term manned lunar missions and future space colonization.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839539589192711/
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