After analyzing the lunar soil brought by the Chinese Chang’e-5 spacecraft, their team found that the sample contains compounds rich in iron and titanium substances that can work as a catalyst to produce desired products, such as oxygen, using sunlight and carbon dioxide.
Based on these observations, the team proposed a strategy for «extraterrestrial photosynthesis «. Basically, the system will use lunar soil for water electrolysis , extracted on the moon and from astronauts, into oxygen and hydrogen. Carbon dioxide exhaled by the future «inhabitants of the Moon» is also collected and combined with hydrogen obtained by electrolysis of water in the process of hydrogenation , catalyzed by lunar soil.
As a result of this process, hydrocarbons such as methane are formed, which can be used as fuel. The strategy uses no external energy other than sunlight to produce various desired products such as water, oxygen and fuel that could support life on the lunar base.