Gloucestershire Company Wins Prize for Innovative Lunar Water Production

A Gloucestershire-based company, Naicker Scientific, has garnered attention after winning a £150,000 prize for a groundbreaking device designed to produce clean drinking water from icy lunar soil. This achievement comes as part of the £1.2 million Aqualunar Challenge, funded by the UK Space Agency with the aim of addressing the pressing issue of water sourcing for future lunar missions. The competition welcomed innovative solutions for extracting potable water from the ice-rich regolith located near the Moon’s south pole.

Nasa aims to establish a permanent crewed base on the Moon by the end of this decade, necessitating a reliable supply of water for both survival and agricultural practices. Extracting water from the lunar environment presents unique challenges, including extreme temperature fluctuations that can fall as low as -173 degrees Celsius, low gravity, and a vacuum-like pressure.

The victor, Lolan Naicker, technical director of Naicker Scientific, expressed surprise at their triumph, especially given the considerable competition they faced from academic institutions and more extensive teams. Alongside Naicker, Dr Ciarán Callaghan contributed to the project, which is known as the SonoChem system.

This innovative setup comprises a multi-step apparatus designed to process icy soil into clean water. The system works by continuously feeding lunar regolith into a quartz tube housed within a horizontally positioned microwave oven. Upon heating, water and various contaminants are vapourised, allowing the solid soil to be left behind. The process capitalises on the unique conditions on the Moon, where vapour cannot condense due to the low pressure.

Subsequently, the generated gases undergo freezing, followed by liquefaction under pressure. Ultrasound technology is then employed, creating millions of micro-bubbles that facilitate the breakdown and removal of impurities, eventually yielding clean water. This innovative method holds promise not just for lunar expeditions but also for terrestrial applications, attracting interest from companies seeking to commercialise similar technologies.

With plans to utilise the prize funds for business expansion, Naicker Scientific is looking to recruit new graduates to assist in the commercialisation of their water production technology. The team has also identified potential market applications in water treatment, leveraging their ultrasonic technology to address environmental contamination issues.