REFUELLING IN SPACE
The Blue Moon lander uses liquid hydrogen as fuel. This propellant was chosen with future possibilities in mind. Scientists now know that there is water ice on the Moon, from which hydrogen can be extracted. By using this common element to power the lander, Bezos hopes that one day the spacecraft can be refuelled in space, utilising the Moon’s natural water resources. While speaking at the JFK Space Summit in Massachusetts, Bezos said: “We know one day we’ll be refuelling that vehicle on the surface of the Moon.”
When separating water into its component elements by breaking its chemical bonds with thermal, electrical or chemical energy, oxygen is released. This oxygen could be used to combine with rocket fuel for combustion, or used for human breathing apparatus in space. Unlike aeroplanes, spacecraft like the Blue Moon lander can’t compress fresh air from their surroundings to breathe in the cabin, so they need to carry their own supply. Making this on the Moon means the lander only needs to carry half as much oxygen during a flight to the Moon.