Nasa is planning to lay down gas pipeline on Moon’s South Pole

Nasa is considering the implementation of a gaseous oxygen pipeline on the Moon’s South Pole.
This innovative project, dubbed the Lunar South Pole Oxygen Pipeline (L-SPoP), aims to revolutionise lunar surface operations for the Artemis program, significantly reducing costs and risks associated with oxygen transportation on the lunar surface.
The sustainability of the Artemis program, which aims to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon, heavily relies on the ability to utilise in-situ resources.
Nasa has already invested substantially in developing technologies to extract oxygen from lunar regolith and water from lunar ice. These oxygen extraction technologies are slated for large-scale demonstration on the Moon as early as 2024, with the potential to support Artemis astronauts by 2026.
Currently, plans for in-situ oxygen extraction involve bottling the oxygen in compressed gas tanks or liquefying and storing it in dewars.
However, transporting these containers across the lunar surface is energy-intensive and potentially the most expensive aspect of utilizing in-situ oxygen, given the long distances between resource extraction areas and human habitats or liquefaction plants.
The proposed L-SPoP system envisions a 5-kilometer pipeline to transport oxygen gas from production sources to storage or liquefaction facilities near a lunar base. This pipeline would be constructed using in-situ manufactured pipe segments, likely made from lunar aluminum due to its prevalence at the South Pole and compatibility with existing extraction methods.

Key features of the L-SPoP design include:
* Robotic construction using regolith-derived metals
* Robotic repair capabilities
* An oxygen flow rate of approximately 2 kg/hour
* Minimal power requirements for long-term operation
* High operational reliability with a projected lifespan exceeding 10 years
Nasa said that this modular design approach ensures adaptability, repairability, and evolvability, potentially leading to a long-lasting infrastructure with reduced dependence on Earth-based resources.
The pipeline could play a crucial role in establishing sustainable, long-term human presence on the Moon, paving the way for future deep space exploration