CaRD
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NASA
Harnessing the Sun to Extract Oxygen on the Moon
Light shines onto a solar concentrator being tested in this Aug. 7, 2025, photo. The concentrator is part of the Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) project, which aims to produce oxygen from simulated lunar regolith for use at the Moon’s south pole. For this test, the team integrated the solar concentrator, mirrors, and software and confirmed the production of carbon monoxide. If…
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NASA
Sunlight Extracts Oxygen From Regolith Using Solar Chemistry
NASA’s Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CaRD) project completed an important step toward using local resources to support human exploration on the Moon. The CaRD team performed integrated prototype testing that used concentrated solar energy to extract oxygen from simulated lunar soil, while confirming the production of carbon monoxide through a solar-driven chemical reaction. If deployed on the Moon, this technology could enable the production of propellant using only lunar materials and sunlight,…
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