There’s a simple reason why NASA’s upcoming Artemis missions are scheduled to land near the moon’s south pole: That region is thought to contain large amounts of water ice.
Not only could humans theoretically drink it, Moon WaterAstronauts could also separate the oxygen atoms from the ice to create breathable air, but first they need to find a way to turn the ice into liquid water.
Finding a way to make that happen Aqualuna ChallengeThe challenge, a collaboration between the UK and Canadian space agencies, will see teams from both countries test the meteorites of future visitors. Moon To create liquid water on the surface of the moon, the organisers of the challenge have now announced the 10 British finalists.
Their mission won’t be easy. Turning moon ice into drinkable water is a big task, let alone separating it into hydrogen and oxygen. Not only is the water frozen as solid as rock, it’s probably mixed with lunar regolith, turning it into a gritty, unpalatable sludge when wet. Moon residents would not only have to melt the ice, they’d have to purify it.
Related: There’s plenty of water for astronauts on the Moon, but is it safe to drink?
The technologies proposed by each team must be able to withstand the bitter cold and sharp dust particles of the lunar south pole while keeping mass as low as possible. Additionally, their chosen methods must also be low-maintenance, especially for a mission that could mean the difference between life and death for astronauts.
“They can’t rely on parts being sent down from above. Earthand it would be impossible for astronauts to regularly change filters or tighten nuts and bolts,” said UKSA reserve astronaut Megan Christian. statement.
Christian will also be one of the judges assessing the 10 British finalists, each with a different approach.
take Luna SonicFirst, melt the ice to make water, then purify it with ultrasound like a jewelry cleaner. Regolith ice plasma purification device for lunar exploration The Ripple proposal is to evaporate ice and spin it into a vortex, sucking up pollutants like a salad spinner. And the dramatically named Ganymede’s GrailIt works by using mirrors to focus sunlight onto a crucible of ice, boiling off each contaminant in turn, leaving behind pure water.
Over the next few months, I will be speaking with the teams behind these three ideas. 7 othersThe team will receive a grant of £30,000 (roughly $38,500 at current exchange rates) to develop their technology, and ultimately, in March 2025, organizers will announce a British winner and two runners-up.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Canadian tournament organizers Announced Eight semi-finalists will advance to the competition, which will then be narrowed down to four finalists in early 2025, with a Canadian winner announced in early 2026.
