Boffins at the BIS named the unit Ganymedes Chalice, after a mythical cup that turns mortals into Gods.
On the moon, their elixir is frozen.
They want to melt it into water through a technique called solar concentration.
Automated cranes will first place the lunar ice into an air-locked crucible.
A curved mirror will then reflect sunlight onto the ice.
Using heat from the concentrated rays, the BIS plans to boil the components one-by-one.
Each of them will then be stored in safe and compact forms.
Finally, the system will condense the components into pure, drinkable water.
It may sound like fantasy, but the British government believes the vision can become a reality.
Moon bases
The UK Space Agency has invested 30,000 into the BIS project.
The cash comes from a 300,000 funding pot thats been shared across10 different technologies.
All of them aim to purifyice frozen in the Moons soil.
One of them plans to produce sound waves that remove contaminants from water.
Another diverts UV light from LEDs to break down harmful components from lunar soil.
These futuristic ideas could have a market in just a few years.
NASA aims to establish a lunar base by the end of the decade.
To sustain human life, the camp will need a reliable water source.
The 10 technologies are competing to create that supply.
Their inventors now haveuntil spring 2025 to develop their concepts.
The three best will then win a further 300,000 between them.
Although theyre all dreaming of space, their systems could still be deployed closer to home.
If all goes to plan, the tech will also expand access to water on Earth.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
