LUNAR OXYGEN PRODUCTION BY SOIL FLUORINATION - CONCEPTS AND LABORATORY SIMULATION

In-situ extraction of oxygen from lunar soil and its utilization as fu el component is considered to contribute to the reduction of future sp ace transportation cost in the Earth-Moon system. The local lunar soil is an abundant source for elemental oxygen because it is made up of o xygen by nearly half of its mass. Fluorination of bulk soil is propose d and discussed in this paper for reasons of its high effectivity of o xygen liberation from silicates compared to other existing processing concepts. Nearly total oxygen release may be achieved, as can be concl uded from small scale fluorination experiments with lunar soil simulan ts. Recovery of reacted fluorine, however, is essential and proposed t o be carried out by means of atomic hydrogen and subsequent electrolys is of the reduction product HF. This fluorine recycling seems to be th e most energy demanding step. Finally, economic aspects of lunar oxyge n production and utilization are discussed together with consequences for neccessary fluorine recycling rates.