Chinese Scientists Develop Method to Extract Water from Lunar Soil

Chinese scientists have discovered a method to generate large quantities of water from lunar soil, potentially aiding future lunar research stations and space exploration. The research, conducted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering and Institute of Physics, found that heating lunar soil minerals to high temperatures induces a redox reaction between hydrogen and iron oxides. This process results in the production of pure iron and significant amounts of water.

The lunar soil used in the study was collected by the Chang'e 5 probe in 2020, marking the first lunar sample retrieval in 44 years. The method could provide essential resources such as drinking water, oxygen, and hydrogen for energy on the moon. Researchers noted that the solar wind has implanted abundant hydrogen in lunar minerals over billions of years, with ilmenite (FeTiO3) being particularly rich in hydrogen. The discovery has implications for China's goal of establishing a permanent lunar outpost and the broader U.S.-China competition for lunar resources. China, in collaboration with Russia, aims to establish the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) in the coming years.