About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Materials Research in Reduced Gravity
|
| Presentation Title |
Mini-ROXY: A First Step Towards Economic Oxygen and Metal Extraction on the Moon |
| Author(s) |
Achim Seidel, Emanuele Monchieri, Markus Franz, Martin Altenburg, Tehya Birch, Georg Poehle, Christian Redlich, Uday Pal |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Achim Seidel |
| Abstract Scope |
The Mini-ROXY lunar demonstrator is a compact, low-resource facility designed to demonstrate the extraction of oxygen and metals from lunar regolith by means of the molten salt electrolysis process, ROXY (Regolith to Oxygen and Metals Conversion). Utilizing porous metal cathodes, a fluoride salt electrolyte, and yttria- stabilized zirconia (YSZ)-based solid oxide membrane anodes, Mini-ROXY aims to validate the ROXY process on the Moon and inform the development of larger facilities. Key objectives include analyzing lunar regolith properties, understanding the reduction process in the lunar environment, and assessing the purity and quantity of oxygen produced. This cost-optimized, low-complexity approach provides a starting point for future lunar missions, aligning with long-term plans for industrial-scale oxygen and metal production on the Moon. We report on the development status of the lunar demonstrator and the results from recent lab tests. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |