NASA, Blue Origin partnership could bring oxygen and solar power to the moon

A new NASA partnership with Blue Origin could lead to people inhabiting the moon.

The $35 million partnership seeks to create solar-power systems on the moon. It may also lead to the manufacturing of power transmission cables and oxygen anywhere on the surface of the moon.

"Harnessing the vast resources in space to benefit Earth is part of our mission, and we're inspired and humbled to receive this investment from NASA to advance our innovation," said Pat Remias, vice president, Capabilities Directorate of Space Systems Development. "First we return humans to the Moon, then we start to 'live off the land.'"

Blue Origin will continue to advance the Blue Alchemist project using this partnership. The project is looking to turn lunar dust into solar power.

The process is called molten regolith electrolysis. It would generate unlimited electricity and power cables and also produce oxygen.

Blue Origin hopes to demonstrate this operation in a "simulated lunar environment" by 2026.

Blue Origin operates a launch site, LS1 in Van Horn, Texas, where they launch their New Shepard rockets.