Recent Developments of the Carbotek Process for Production of Lunar Oxygen

by Christian W. Knudsen, Carbotek Inc, Houston, United States,
Michael A. Gibson, Carbotek Inc, Houston, United States,
David J. Brueneman, Carbotek Inc, Houston, United States,
Seishi Suzuki, Carbotek Inc, Houston, United States,
Tetsuji Yoshida, Carbotek Inc, Houston, United States,
Hiroshi Kanamori, Carbotek Inc, Houston, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space III

Abstract:

Carbotek and Shimizu Corporation are conducting joint development work on the further development of the Carbotek Process to produce oxygen from lunar ilemnite by hydrogen reduction. The Carbotek process uses a minimum of Earth-imported process materials. Reactivity tests have been performed on lunar samples provided by NASA in a differential reactor to determine reaction behavior as a function of temperature, pressure, and other parameters. Comparison runs with Earth-derived lunar simulant were made to determine their relative behavior since a simulant must be used for larger reactor tests.

Subject Headings: Moon | Space colonies | Materials processing | Minerals | Hydrogen | Temperature effects | Space exploration

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