NASA Solicits Proposals for Lunar Infrastructure Foundational Technologies (LIFT-1) Demonstration

NASA is seeking proposals for its upcoming Lunar Infrastructure Foundational Technologies (LIFT-1) demonstration, which will focus on developing In-situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies to extract oxygen from the lunar regolith. The LIFT-1 demonstration is part of NASA's ambitious Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII), which aims to develop the technologies needed to support a sustained human presence on the Moon.

ISRU is the process of using resources found on another planet or moon to create resources needed for human survival and exploration. In the case of the Moon, ISRU could be used to produce oxygen, water, and fuel from the lunar regolith. This would reduce the need to transport these resources from Earth, which would be costly and time-consuming.

The LIFT-1 demonstration will focus on developing and demonstrating ISRU technologies that are mature enough to be used on future crewed missions to the Moon. NASA is particularly interested in technologies that can produce oxygen from the lunar regolith in a safe and efficient manner.

Proposals for the LIFT-1 demonstration are due by December 18, 2023. NASA will select a number of proposals to be funded, and the selected teams will then begin developing and testing their ISRU technologies. The LIFT-1 demonstration is expected to take place in the early 2030s.

The development of ISRU technologies is essential for NASA's long-term plans to explore and colonize the Moon and Mars. By developing the ability to live off the land, NASA can reduce the cost and risk of sending humans to these other worlds.