Blue Origin Demonstrates Extraction of Oxygen from Lunar Soil

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 05:15:00 +0200

Blue Origin has successfully demonstrated a method to extract oxygen from lunar soil using an electric current, marking a significant milestone toward establishing sustainable lunar bases. Nearly half of the Moon's surface material consists of oxygen bound to metals like iron and titanium. While previous attempts to isolate oxygen were limited to laboratory settings with bulky equipment, Blue Origin's compact reactor, named Air Pioneer, is designed to be flight-ready for deployment on the Moon. The reactor not only produces breathable oxygen for astronauts but also yields valuable by-products, including iron, aluminum, silicon, and glass, which can be used for construction, electronics, and solar panel covers. Each reactor would require roughly one megawatt of power, which could be supplied by a nearby array of solar panels. This approach allows oxygen to be produced in situ, reducing the cost and complexity of transporting it from Earth. Besides life support, the extracted oxygen coul