Production of Fibres from Lunar Soil: Feasibility, Applicability and Future Perspectives

The construction of a lunar base is considered to be an important step towards deep-space exploration by humanity, and will rely on the utilisation of in situ lunar resources. In this paper, we discuss the current knowledge on the feasibility of converting lunar soil to high-performance fibres that can be used for the construction of a lunar base. This fibre would be combined with further portions of lunar soil to generate fibre-reinforced composites, which is utilized as multi-functional materials for lunar base construction. We discuss and analyse the latest findings regarding the composition of lunar soil simulants and their fibrisation properties, and techniques for fibre spinning and system integration. Finally, we suggest how the achievements made so far could be applied to the construction of a lunar base. Graphical abstract