WATERIG Purification and the Lunar "Water Battery": Scalable Volatiles Management for Lunar Missions
- Paper ID
99945
- author
- company
- country
Hong Kong SAR, China
- year
2025
- abstract
The WATERIG Platform is a modular system designed to extract, purify, and store water and volatiles from ice-regolith mixtures in lunar environments. By addressing key challenges in in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), the platform supports sustainable lunar exploration and long-term infrastructure development. Beyond water extraction, the system facilitates volatile recovery, trace element capture, and long-duration storage, providing a scalable solution for evolving lunar mission needs. At its core, OASIS (Optical Advanced Sorbent ISRU System) is a key purification and resource processing subsystem within the WATERIG platform. OASIS employs a Multi-stage Absorption Chamber, featuring an Absorbent Cartridges Array with proprietary sorbents for selective volatile capture and purification. These cartridges function as adaptable storage vessels, capable of stable operation across pressure-temperature variations in permanently shadowed craters, sunlit regions, and within lunar base infrastructures without the need for cryogenic and pressurized hardware. Water and volatiles can be released on demand through a controlled desorption process, supporting critical applications such as life support, fuel production, and habitat maintenance. Further research focuses on tailoring these sorbents to selectively capture helium-3 and other high-value trace elements, extending the platform’s capability beyond water purification. The platform’s modular architecture allows for flexible deployment in multiple configurations, including standalone operation with nearby ice extractors, integration with third-party mobility platforms, and incorporation into lunar base systems. A dual-use photovoltaic solar concentrator powers the system, supplying thermal energy for ice melting and sublimation, while also generating electrical power for autonomous operation. This integrated approach maximizes efficiency while ensuring adaptability across various lunar conditions. Future development emphasize scalability, targeting industrial-scale purification to support large-scale lunar habitation and ISRU expansion. Additionally, the platform will be designed to leverage ISRU techniques to manufacture sorbents and system components using lunar-derived materials, reducing reliance on Earth-based supply chains and fostering a self-sustaining lunar economy. The integration of OASIS and formulated sorbent technology enables not only water purification but also the extraction and storage of helium-3 and other trace volatiles, positioning the platform as a key enabler for future lunar resource utilization and commercial development. Currently at TRL 2-3, the WATERIG Platform is undergoing feasibility studies and component-level testing. Technology demonstrations are scheduled for Q4 2025, followed by subsystem field testing in simulated lunar conditions in mid 2026. These milestones will validate the system’s capability to advance water and volatile management technologies, paving the way for a sustainable, resource-driven lunar economy and long-term human presence on the Moon.