December 16, 2024
To facilitate lunar exploration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to set up an oxygen pipeline on the lunar surface. This project, called Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline (L-SPoP), will be established at the South Pole of the moon and will transport oxygen extracted from the moon to human habitation facilities on the moon. The oxygen harvested from water ice and the moon’s regolith will be sent to liquefaction or storage points close to lunar bases via a 5km-long pipeline. The pipeline, constructed using materials available on the moon, will move oxygen at a capacity of 2kgs per hour. This project will support NASA’s Artemis campaign, a lunar exploration mission, and will decrease costs associated with transporting supplies from Earth.
DID YOU KNOW?
The moon’s crust mainly comprises oxygen, iron, magnesium, aluminium, silicon and calcium.
Image Source: nasa.gov
