Nasa plans to adopt a sustainable approach when humans return to the Moon as part of the Artemis project. The space agency aims to reduce waste by building habitats from used materials whenever possible.
The first men landed on the Moon in 1969, leaving behind a trail of debris, including bags of urine, faeces, and vomit, boots, life support systems, and even golf balls. This was largely done to save weight before returning to Earth.
However, Nasa’s new approach is driven by practical considerations. With the cost of launching materials from Earth estimated at $1m to $1.2m for a single kilogram, recycling waste is crucial to saving resources.
Nasa has launched a challenge to encourage ideas on how to process non-toxic materials in low gravity and high vacuum conditions on the Moon. However, experts warn that operating in such conditions presents significant challenges.
Professor Geoff Brooks of Swinburne University of Technology says the low gravity makes it difficult to separate materials, while lunar dust is abrasive and problematic for machinery. Cooling equipment and removing toxic fumes or residue are also major hurdles.
Despite these challenges, Nasa’s efforts towards closed-loop recycling systems have already shown promise on the International Space Station (ISS), where a 98% efficient water recycling system recycles almost all astronaut urine, sweat, and moisture back into drinking water.
Future lunar settlers may use astronaut waste as fertilizer for growing food. However, it is essential to avoid reusing materials that are considered Nasa heritage, such as items left behind by the Apollo astronauts.
The idea of a closed-loop recycling system, where waste is minimized and resources are maximized, is more in line with reality than the science fiction dream of shiny corridors and food replicators. Instead, Moonbases may be dusty and cramped, with furniture fashioned from redundant spacecraft and a diet of salad and mealworms grown in human waste.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20241206-leave-only-moonprints-nasas-lunar-recycling-ambitions