NASA is considering building an oxygen gas pipeline to the South Pole of the Moon.

This innovative project, dubbed Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline (L-SPoP), aims to revolutionize lunar surface operations for the Artemis program, significantly reducing the costs and risks associated with transporting oxygen to the lunar surface.

The sustainability of the Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon, relies heavily on the ability to use resources in situ.

NASA has already invested significantly in developing technologies to extract oxygen from lunar regolith and water from lunar ice. These oxygen extraction technologies are expected to be demonstrated on a large scale on the Moon as early as 2024, with the potential to support Artemis astronauts by 2026.

Currently, plans for in situ oxygen extraction involve bottling the oxygen in compressed gas tanks or liquefying it and storing it in dewars.

However, transporting these containers across the lunar surface is energy intensive and potentially the most expensive aspect of in situ oxygen use, given the long distances between resource extraction areas and lunar areas. . human habitats or liquefaction plants.

The proposed L-SPoP system envisions a 5-kilometer pipeline to transport oxygen gas from production sources to storage or liquefaction facilities near a lunar base. This pipeline would be constructed using locally fabricated pipe segments, likely made from lunar aluminum due to its predominance at the South Pole and its compatibility with existing extraction methods.

Key features of the L-SPoP design include:

* Robotic construction using metals derived from regolith
* Robotic repair capabilities
* An oxygen flow of approximately 2 kg/hour
* Minimum power requirements for long-term operation
* High operational reliability with a projected lifespan greater than 10 years

NASA said this modular design approach ensures adaptability, repairability and scalability, potentially leading to sustainable infrastructure with reduced reliance on land resources.

The pipeline could play a crucial role in establishing a long-term sustainable human presence on the Moon, paving the way for path to future deep space exploration