NASA has just released a proposal for building an oxygen pipeline in the Moon’s lunar south pole region for future Artemis astronauts. This oxygen will be used for human habitats, rovers, life support systems, and an oxidizer for launch vehicles departing the Moon. These oxygen extraction technologies are set to be demonstrated at large scale on the Moon as early as 2024, while supporting Artemis astronauts as early as 2026.
Officially named the Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline (L-SPoP), this gaseous oxygen pipeline will start off as a 5km pipeline to transport oxygen gas from an oxygen production source, for example NASA’s molten regolith electrolysis (MRE) extraction site or any other source, to an oxygen storage / liquification plant near a lunar base. L-SPoP would consist of in-situ manufactured pipe segments that are coated and welded or fitted together to span the entire distance.
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The pipeline will be designed to: 1) be constructed robotically from regolith-derived metals with minimal material transferred from Earth, 2) be repairable robotically, 3) have an oxygen flow rate of ~2 kg/hour which is commensurate with the NASA initial projected need of 10,000 kg/year, 4) operate with minimal power over the lifetime of the pipeline, and 5) have a high operational reliability and be able to survive in the lunar environment for > 10 years,” said NASA.
