How space exploration might evolve in the future due to hydrogen.
To produce hydrogen on the moon, two Japanese corporations have joined forces to accomplish a single, major objective.
A miniature electrolyzer made by Takasago Thermal Engineering is able to withstand the extreme shocks experienced during rocket launch and adjust to low gravity.
The hydrogen-producing apparatus will be remotely controlled from ispace's Mission Control Center in Tokyo once it is in orbit. Our research on hydrogen began nearly two decades ago. We are now working on creating a large-scale electrolyzer.
Executive officer of Takasago Thermal Engineering Hiroyuki Muraoka stated in a conversation that "what we do in space would provide us certain abilities and technology to... differentiate from the competition."
Takasago is delivering just a little of Earth water for the electrolysis portion of the mission, which is expected to launch by the end of 2024. In the event that the experiment proceeds as intended, the business will eventually expand and use lunar water on future missions to produce hydrogen.
The hardest part is getting used to the low gravity. The gravitational pull of the moon is one-sixth that of Earth, according to Takasago Thermal Engineering manager Atsushi Kato. "This mission is investigative in nature. After we have the information, we begin to consider business opportunities not just with ourselves but also with companies that express interest in partnering with us," stated Muraoka.
The electrolyzer will be transported by ispace's lander, an upgraded model that replaced the business's initial model that launched in 2022 but was unable to touch down on the moon. In addition, the lander will be equipped with a rover that will conduct data collection, examine the lunar surface, and energize the electrolyzer using solar energy. "All of the last equipment and ecological testing has just finished. Every payload is prepared for rolling as well.
In order to steer clear of a similar problem in Mission 2, we carefully chose our landing spot. Naturally, we also made improvements to our software," Ryo Ujiie, chief technology officer of ispace, said to the reporter.
If the mission succeeds in its endeavor it may pave the way for space exploration and establish the foundation for using hydrogen as a spaceship propellant. "We are able to live far away, like on Mars and so on, if we build a moon gas station," Ujiie remarked.
The second mission is scheduled to fly in a SpaceX rocket during 2024's fourth quarter. Ispace is already considering Mission 3 and wants to increase the frequency of its moon landings.
