The technology behind the ambitious idea is based on a special furnace designed to extract oxygen and various metals directly from the lunar surface, without the need for additional materials from the earth.
This possibly means dependent technology that allows future human settlements on the moon to literally live off the land without constantly sending supplies off the earth.
And while the oxygen produced by HELIOS could potentially serve astronauts for respiration, most of it will be used for launching and using space vehicles due to its share in the chemical process that leads to a combustion reaction.
According to HELIOS, the current cost of launching materials and equipment to the moon, Mars and beyond, limits the chances of a long-term extraterrestrial presence. ‘However, about 45% of the total mass of the surface of Mars and the moon is suitable for the extraction of oxygen,’ the company says.
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This will come in handy, considering the staggering amount of oxygen needed for space travel. Maintaining four astronauts during their journey to the moon and back requires about 10 tons of oxygen. By comparison, the launch of Elon Musk’s SpaceX multifunctional Starship will cost around 850 tons of oxygen.
But this time, the idea is to leave more than one flag behind – a permanent station. And this is where the unique innovation of the Israeli company can play an important role.
“HELIOS ‘revolutionary technology … will make launching costs cheaper, enabling more cargo and allowing for long-term human presence in deep space in the future,” said Avi Blasberger, director general of the Israel Space Agency. of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Space.
“We expect that the return of humanity to the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program will create significant business opportunities for the Israeli space industry and the space industry as a whole,” Blasberger added, concluding by congratulating HELIOS, a groundbreaking Israeli start-up, “to lead such an important development.