Lunar regolith—the loose dust and rock covering the Moon’s surface—is far more than just dirt. It is comprised of approximately 40-45% oxygen. Since 2019, the company Metalysis has collaborated with both the UK and European Space Agencies to extract this oxygen, a vital resource for rocket propulsion. However, the utility of regolith does not stop at oxygen production. Once the oxygen is removed, a mixture of conductive metal alloys remains. While companies like Space Copy and Luyten are exploring regolith for construction 3D printing, a new initiative aims to transform these metal-rich residues into inks for printing electronic circuits, and powders for printing larger objects.
Metalysis, a leader in reducing regolith into its component elements, utilizes a patented method known as molten salt electrolysis. In this process, a calcium chloride electrolyte is heated to between 800 and 1000°C. When voltage is applied between the electrodes, oxygen is liberated from the material, leaving behind metal alloys.
The researchers will utilize the magnetic properties of the regolith.
“The technology is applicable to nearly 50 elements in the periodic table, and it is feedstock agnostic – so it can process lunar regolith,” Dr. Ian Mellor, MD and chief scientist at Metalysis said. “Our immediate focus terrestrially is upon high charge tantalum powders and aluminium scandium alloys for the electronics sector.”
From Byproduct to Printable Tech
The conductive residue left behind after oxygen extraction is being sent to the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), which is leading the project. Leveraging their expertise in synthesizing conductive materials, DTI is converting this lunar soil byproduct into digitally printable materials, such as inks for printed electronics and powders for conductive 3D printing.
Christian Dalsgaard, a Senior Consultant at DTI, highlights that this innovation opens “completely new opportunities for off-earth manufacturing of electronics for future space missions.” The project aims to prove that de-oxygenated simulated regolith can be used to manufacture components like antennas or conductive wires directly on the lunar surface.
The regolith can be used to print electronics.
Overcoming Logistical Obstacles
The driving force behind this initiative is the prohibitive cost and complexity of space transport. As Dalsgaard notes, transporting a single kilogram of payload into space requires 15 kilograms of fuel. Therefore, In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), which means using materials found locally on the Moon or Mars, offers an enormous advantage.
By manufacturing components locally, future missions can reduce their dependence on Earth-based supply lines and achieve greater autonomy. This capability is critical for:
- maintaining planetary robots,
- repairing electrical installations in habitats,
- building communication networks,
- and adapting scientific instruments on site.
Senior Consultant Christian Dalsgaard, Danish Technological Institute
A Step Toward Sustainable Exploration?
Backed by major aerospace and defense producers, this €155,000 proof-of-concept project represents a transformative step toward resilient space exploration. By demonstrating that regolith can serve as the raw material for both oxygen and functional electronic systems, researchers are laying the groundwork for sustainable lunar and Martian outposts. This technology suggests that future explorers will not just survive on the Moon, but will be able to build, repair, and innovate using the very ground beneath their feet. To learn more, click HERE.
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*All Photo Credits: Danish Technological Institute