Lunar demonstrator for extracting oxygen and metals from Moon rock
Space exploration is on the threshold of a new era. Programmes such as NASA’s Artemis missions aim to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon and, later, on Mars. Building a lunar base is, however, an enormous logistical challenge, as transporting construction materials and life-support supplies from Earth is extremely costly. The solution lies in In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) – the systematic use of locally available resources. Every kilogram of material extracted directly on site increases mission self-sufficiency and significantly reduces costs. For this approach to be practically and economically viable, ISRU systems must meet stringent requirements: they must be exceptionally compact, lightweight and low-maintenance for use in space, while using available energy with maximum efficiency.
These are precisely the requirements addressed by Mini-ROXY. The exhibit shows a model of a miniaturised, spaceflight-optimised demonstrator, which is based on the ROXY (Regolith to Oxygen and Metals Conversion) process developed by Airbus. The process enables the direct and energy-efficient extraction of high-purity oxygen from lunar dust (regolith), without the need for technically complex gas purification. This makes it possible to produce an essential resource for life-support systems and rocket propellants directly on site. The chemical reduction of the rock also yields metals, which, in future large-scale ROXY installations, will represent a valuable raw material.
Mini-ROXY is being realised as part of a collaborative project funded by the German Space Agency at DLR using funds from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The project team comprises the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM) in Dresden, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the University of Ulm and TU Braunschweig. Airbus is responsible for building the Mini-ROXY reactor.
Link:
German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR)
German Space Agency at DLR
E-Mail contact-dlr@DLR.de
Mini-ROXY: Payload zur Erforschung der Gewinnung wichtiger Rohstoffe direkt auf dem Mond. Das Experiment zielt darauf ab, Sauerstoff aus Mondgestein zu erzeugen.