Light shines on a solar concentrator being tested in this photo from August 7, 2025. The concentrator is part of the Carbothermal Reduction Demonstration (CARD) project, which aims to produce oxygen from simulated lunar regolith for use at the Moon’s south pole. For this test, the team integrated the solar concentrator, mirrors, and software and confirmed the production of carbon monoxide.
If deployed on the Moon, this technology could enable the production of propellant using only lunar materials and sunlight, significantly reducing the cost and complexity of maintaining a long-term human presence on the lunar surface. The same downstream systems used to convert carbon monoxide into oxygen could also be adapted to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and methane on Mars.
The CARD project was funded by NASA’s Game Changing Development program, which advances technologies to support the agency’s future space missions and address critical national needs.
Image credit: NASA/Michael Rushing
