An experiment conducted by Italian researchers demonstrated that it is technologically possible to produce water on the Moon from materials similar to the sand that covers the soil of the natural satellite.
The study was carried out by a team from Milan Polytechnic and by the company OHB Italia, which provides services for the European Space Agency (ESA).
The starting point of the experiment was a material similar to sand from the lunar soil, called regolith, from which scientists were able to extract oxygen thanks to a chemical-physical process.
“The light layer of dusty sand that covers the Moon contains minerals found on Earth,” says a statement from the Milan Polytechnic.
The experiment, according to the university, represents a “key step” for the next human missions to the Moon, as local water production is essential to keep astronauts on the satellite for prolonged periods.
At the end of last year, the NASA had already announced the discovery of water molecules in mineral grains on the lunar surface. (HANDLE).
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