Chinese scientists have uncovered a novel method of generating significant quantities of water using lunar soil, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday. This breakthrough stems from soil samples retrieved during China’s 2020 Chang’e-5 mission, the first mission to bring back lunar samples in 44 years.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that the minerals within the moon’s soil contain substantial amounts of hydrogen, which can react with other elements to produce water vapour when exposed to extremely high temperatures.

Following three years of extensive research, scientists have developed a method to extract large amounts of water from lunar soil. This discovery is expected to play a crucial role in the design and construction of future lunar research stations and space stations, according to CCTV. The ability to produce water from lunar resources could significantly aid China’s long-term project to establish a permanent base on the moon, amidst growing competition with the United States to exploit lunar resources.

The method is capable of generating 51 to 76 kilograms of water from one tonne of lunar soil, enough to provide the daily water consumption of 50 people, equivalent to over a hundred 500ml bottles. This discovery holds great promise for supporting China’s ambitions to build the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) in collaboration with Russia. China’s space agency aims to complete a basic lunar station by 2035, with a moon-orbiting space station set to be added by 2045.

The announcement follows the recent Chang’e-6 mission, which collected soil samples from the moon’s far side.

Lunar water is seen as essential not only for sustaining human presence but also for creating hydrogen rocket fuel, which could further space exploration to Mars and beyond, according to NASA’s administrator Bill Nelson.