Turning Lunar Dust into Oxygen, Metal, and Market Opportunity

Based on an interview with
Dr. Ian Mellor
Managing Director
Metalysis

Lunar regolith is more than Moon dust. It is a vast reservoir of oxygen and metal that can become the foundation of a sustainable space economy. Metalysis, a terrestrial advanced materials company known for producing advanced metal powders with use in additive manufacturing across aerospace, propulsion, electronics, and other high-performance sectors, has emerged as a leader in extracting both oxygen and usable metals from simulated lunar rock. 

Their Metalysis FFC solid-state process frees oxygen while producing metal powders suitable for construction and in-situ manufacturing. The European Space Agency has taken notice and is exploring this process with Metalysis to unlock future Moon-based operations.

From Terrestrial Expertise to Lunar Application

Metalysis built its business on Earth by producing metal powders without relying on traditional forging or melting methods. Their solid-state process produces high-end feedstock for use across downstream powder metallurgy processes such as sintering and pressing or additive manufacturing that supports propulsion systems, lightweight aerospace structures, and semiconductor applications. This approach enables alloy combinations that conventional melting cannot achieve, allowing metal powders to form stronger, lighter, and more adaptable materials. Some of these metal recipes can provide longer burn time, oxidation resistance, reusability, and weight-savings, making them well suited for space-based applications.

This strong commercial foundation is why the European Space Agency approached Metalysis. ESA recognized that the same process used to create terrestrial powders could also release oxygen from lunar regolith at high yield.

Oxygen and Metal from Regolith

In Metalysis’ system, regolith becomes the cathode in an electrochemical reactor that operates at a high temperature. When voltage is applied, oxygen separates from the regolith and is released at the anode while a usable metal product remains. Their process produces two essential resources at once: oxygen for rocket oxidizer and life support, and metal powder for in-situ manufacturing.

Enabling In-Situ Additive Manufacturing

The metallic output of the process is gaining interest from researchers who want to test regolith-derived powders in additive manufacturing. Early studies include printed structural elements and conductive inks or powders for use in electronics. Producing metal powder on-site reduces the mass required from Earth and provides the foundation for autonomous repair, construction, and long-duration activity on the Moon.

What This Makes Possible

Metalysis is part of an active ESA project designing a rover that will demonstrate the extraction process in a simulated lunar environment. The rover is expected within three to five years, followed by a larger system designed to supply oxygen for future missions. This capability will support fuel production, life support, and early industrial activity on the lunar surface.

Benefits That Return to Earth

Lunar work strengthens Metalysis’ terrestrial business. The need for compact, efficient, and autonomous reactors drives improvements in energy use, automation, and system design. Lessons from lunar development return to Earth. 

Efficient energy use, autonomous operation, compact reactor design, and machine learning developed for space deployment inform more capable terrestrial production systems. Each advancement reinforces their commercial markets while supporting future space applications.

A Dual-Value Path for Space Mining

Mining lunar regolith for oxygen and metal is a practical, achievable step toward a sustainable space economy. Metalysis offers a model that combines scientific capability with commercial experience. Their process supports lunar logistics, construction, and mission resilience while strengthening advanced manufacturing, alloy development, and critical mineral supply chains on Earth. Their work illustrates how lunar mining can deliver value in space and generate tangible benefits at home.