I-Corps: Translation potential of in-situ production of aluminum and oxygen from lunar soil using electrochemical processing

Award ID: 2629010

This I-Corps project is based on the development of technology for producing aluminum and oxygen from lunar soil using electrochemical processing to address a critical constraint in lunar exploration. Future lunar exploration and commercial activities are expected to require thousands of kilograms of structural materials, manufacturing feedstocks, and life support consumables. However, transporting these resources from Earth is prohibitively expensive and represents a major barrier to sustained space operations. Affordable resource production technologies will become increasingly important. This technology enables the extraction of valuable materials directly from lunar soil, reducing launch mass requirements and lowering mission costs while supporting construction, manufacturing, transportation, and life support applications. In addition to supporting the space economy, the underlying electrochemical processing methods may enable more efficient metal production on Earth. Applications include space infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, industrial electrochemical processing, and resource extraction industries. This technology may reduce operating costs, improve supply chain resilience, and enable new opportunities in both space and Earth sectors. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of molten salt electrolysis technology for the in-situ production of aluminum and oxygen from lunar regolith. This technology employs a two-step process in which aluminum-bearing minerals are converted into alumina and subsequently reduced electrochemically in a molten calcium chloride electrolyte to produce metallic aluminum and oxygen. Experimental research has demonstrated the production of aluminum with purities exceeding 95 weight percent using corrosion-resistant electrode materials under representative processing conditions. In addition, this technology operates at lower temperatures compared with existing methods while selectively producing aluminum, and improving process efficiency and product quality. Beyond aluminum, the same electrochemical platform may be adapted to extract additional metals such as titanium and iron, offering a versatile and extensible pathway for integrated lunar resource utilization. Adoption of this technology may provide users with reduced logistics costs, increased operational independence, and expanded manufacturing capabilities for future space and industrial applications on Earth. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman