NASA Plans to Lay Gas Pipeline at Moon's South Pole for Artemis Missions

NASA is exploring a groundbreaking initiative to enhance operations on Moon with proposed Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline (L-SPoP). This project aims to revolutionize lunar surface activities by significantly reducing costs and risks associated with oxygen transportation, which is crucial for sustaining long-term human missions under Artemis program.

Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent human presence on Moon, depends heavily on utilizing in-situ resources to minimize need for supplies from Earth. Oxygen, essential for life support and rocket propulsion, is being extracted from lunar regolith and water ice through vanced technologies that NASA has alrey invested in. se oxygen extraction methods are expected to be demonstrated on a large scale as early as 2024, with potential to support Artemis astronauts by 2026.

Currently, extracted oxygen is stored in compressed gas tanks or liquefied in dewars, requiring transportation across Moon's surface. However, this process is highly energy-intensive and costly due to vast distances between resource extraction sites and lunar bases.

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proposed L-SPoP system envisions a 5-kilometer pipeline that would transport oxygen gas from extraction sites to storage or liquefaction facilities near lunar habitats. This pipeline would be me from in-situ materials, primarily lunar aluminum, extracted from Moon’s surface. pipeline’s modular design would be aptable, repairable, and sustainable, reducing reliance on Earth-based resources and minimizing operational costs.

Key features of L-SPoP include:

• Robotic Construction and Repair: pipeline would be built and maintained by robotic systems using regolith-derived metals.
• Oxygen Flow Rate: system is designed to transport oxygen at a rate of approximately 2 kg per hour, enough to meet NASA's initial need of 10,000 kg of oxygen annually.
• Minimal Power Requirements: pipeline would operate with low power demands, making it sustainable for long-term use.
• Long Lifespan: pipeline is projected to last over 10 years, with high operational reliability, even in harsh lunar environment.

NASA's plan for L-SPoP also includes using innovative materials such as lunar aluminum, which is abundant at Moon’s South Pole, and applying a passivation coating to interior of pipe to prevent corrosion. Or materials, including iron and magnesium, will be considered during design process.

L-SPoP project represents a significant step toward creating a sustainable infrastructure for lunar operations. By reducing costs and risks of oxygen transportation, NASA hopes to pave way for a permanent human presence on Moon, supporting both Artemis program and future deep-space missions.