NASA Unveils Lunar O2 Challenge

The first team of scientists to invent a way to extract breathable oxygen from lunar soil will be awarded $250,000, NASA announced on Thursday.

The technology could be used by astronauts during a long-term stay on the moon or modified to support a trip to Mars. The Bush administration has made both missions a priority for NASA in a road map called the Vision for Space Exploration.

"The use of resources on other worlds is a key element of the Vision for Space Exploration," said NASA Associate Administrator for Exploration Craig Steidle in a statement. "This challenge will reach out to inventors who can help us achieve the vision sooner."

Inventors who attempt the Moon Regolith Oxygen (or MoonROx) challenge will have just eight hours to extract at least 11 pounds of breathable oxygen from a simulated form of lunar soil.

Full article at www.wired.com...

Originally posted by Stealth Spy
Inventors who attempt the Moon Regolith Oxygen (or MoonROx) challenge will have just eight hours to extract at least 11 pounds of breathable oxygen from a simulated form of lunar soil.

Let us see what is the power consumption limitation.
As far as I know, one needs at least 8kW to do that.

ES

There is a thread on this topic already...
www.abovetopsecret.com...'

A team here was thinking about joining this challenge. Already have some basic ideas down and tested, not sure if we can meet the time constraints yet, though.

Check out this thread:

www.atsnn.com...

Very interesting indeed. If anybody knows of actual technologies that can be used, please post.

Originally posted by T_Jesus
A team here was thinking about joining this challenge. Already have some basic ideas down and tested, not sure if we can meet the time constraints yet, though.

So you do not care what the power consumption constraints will be?

es

[edit on 28-5-2005 by extrasense]