NASA scientists at Johnson Space Center in Houston have successfully extracted oxygen from simulated lunar soil in a vacuum environment, which could pave the way for establishing a long-term presence of humans on the lunar surface, and even for the future colonization of the Moon.

• The ability to extract oxygen from lunar soil is not only crucial for providing breathable air for astronauts on the moon but can also be used as propellant for transportation and venture further space exploration.
• Aaron Paz, NASA senior scientist at Johnson Space Center, said this technology has the potential to produce several times its own weight in oxygen per year on the lunar surface, which will enable a sustained human presence and lunar economy.