Converting lunar regolith into oxygen is a viable option for space sustainability.
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 75/100
Multiple studies demonstrate that converting lunar regolith into oxygen is an established and viable in-situ resource utilization strategy to support sustainable space exploration and reduce reliance on Earth-supplied logistics.
Evidence for · 3
Integrating resource utilization and bioregenerative life support systems for sustainable space exploration.
2026 · cited by 0
Paper [3] highlights that traditional in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) concepts process local rocks and regolith to extract oxygen and other consumables to support sustainable space exploration.
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More for · 2
Supply Chain Due Diligence in Space-based Manufacturing and Lunar Resource Extraction: Building Sustainable & Resilient Cislunar Operations
2026 · cited by 0
Paper [4] notes that technical literature on lunar ISRU explicitly highlights oxygen production from regolith as a prerequisite for extended lunar presence and cislunar logistics.
Modeling energy requirements for oxygen production on the Moon.
2025 · cited by 0
Paper [9] models energy requirements for extracting oxygen from lunar regolith, confirming its viability and technical parameters for producing liquid oxygen on the Moon.