Future Potential with LIWARS

DESIGNED to provide autonomous water extraction, purification, and resource recovery

in the challenging lunar environment. However, its capabilities extend far beyond space. OUR modular and efficient system has the potential to revolutionize terrestrial water treatment, particularly in remote or resource-scarce regions.

Let’s see how LIWARS is set to shape both space-based In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) and critical applications on Earth.

LIWARS and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)

NASA and other space agencies are investing heavily in ISRU—the process of using local resources to support long-term missions. LIWARS seamlessly integrates into NASA’s ISRU framework (1) by recovering and refining volatile compounds, oxygen, and purified water from lunar ice. These resources are critical for:

  • Construction & Material Processing: Filtered or remained regolith and metal content can be repurposed into building materials for lunar structures, reducing the need for Earth-based construction materials.

  • Fuel Production & Power Generation: The electrolysis unit in LIWARS produces oxygen and hydrogen, which can be used as propellants or fuel cell reactants. This reduces dependence on costly Earth-launched fuel supplies. Nearly 99% of methane will be sent to VOC recovery during the first stage of LIWARS, as fuelling resource.

  • Life Support Systems: The system recovers clean water and oxygen for astronauts, enabling extended habitation in lunar bases.

  • Nutrients & Plant Growth: Processed water, ammonia, carbon, reject brine, etc recovered resource can contribute to the development of human/plant habitation on lunar surface (e.g., lunar green houses)

Image credit: ICON/BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group

We believe that each kilogram of resources extracted from the Moon represents a major advancement in self-sufficiency, reducing the logistical burden of launching heavy payloads from Earth. Current estimates suggest that 1 kg of lunar resources offsets 7.5 to 11 kg of launched mass (1)

LIWARS as a Terrestrial Water Treatment Solution

While LIWARS was initially developed for space, its technology offers realistic solutions for Earth’s remote and water-scarce regions. The system’s autonomous and chemical-free operation, as well as fast plug-and-play modular design make it a promising aid for disaster relief, rural communities, and extreme environments like the Arctic.

  • Providing Safe Drinking Water in Remote Areas: Millions of people worldwide lack access to clean water due to geographic barriers and lack of infrastructure. LIWARS Module 2, which houses media filtration, reverse osmosis, and advanced oxidation, can function as a standalone system for mobile or fixed-location water treatment. By removing contaminants like metals, ammonia, pharmaceuticals, and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), LIWARS could help rural communities, Indigenous populations, and humanitarian relief efforts.

  • Water Security for Arctic and Northern Communities: Many remote Arctic communities struggle with water security due to lack of piped infrastructure and harsh conditions. The LIWARS storage and recycling strategy ensures a steady supply of potable water while optimizing energy use. This aligns with Canada’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, which prioritizes sustainable water management for northern populations (2).

  • Emergency & Disaster Response: Natural disasters frequently disrupt water supplies. With the plug-and-play modularity, LIWARS can be rapidly deployed to purify water from contaminated or compromised sources. Its ability to function with minimal external inputs makes it ideal for post-disaster recovery zones.

References:


(1) Araghi, K. R. (2022). NASA Lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization Technology Overview. In Korean Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Presentation to Korean Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) ISRU Workshop. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20220006072/downloads/LIVE-ISRU%20-Overview-RevB.pdf 

(2) Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (2020) Nunavut’s Infrastructure Gap, https://www.tunngavik.com/files/2020/10/2020.10.20-Nunavuts_Infrastructure_Gap_Report_vf.pdf. Accessed on January 30, 2022