Could Moon dust help humans breathe in space?

Scientists might have found a way to help people survive on the Moon.

The European Space Agency (ESA) has opened a new facility in the Netherlands where they've managed to successfully take oxygen from simulated Moon dust.

The Moon doesn't have an atmosphere or air for humans to breathe.

But its surface - which is covered by a substance called lunar regolith (Moon dust!) - is almost 50% oxygen.

Humans need oxygen to survive, so if it's possible to get the gas from natural resources found on the Moon, experts think it could be really useful for future missions.

"Being able to acquire oxygen from resources found on the Moon would obviously be hugely useful for future lunar settlers, both for breathing and in the local production of rocket fuel," said Beth Lomax from the University of Glasgow.

ESA Researchers have been working on a way of taking oxygen out of simulated Moon dust at a lab in the Netherlands

The ESA's ultimate aim is to design a separate facility which will operate on the Moon.

Despite the researchers' success so far, they say more work needs doing before it's ready for a real-life Moon mission.

"ESA and Nasa are heading back to the Moon with crewed missions, this time with a view towards staying," said Tommaso Ghidini from ESA.

He added: "We are working with our colleagues...to provide top class scientific approaches and key enabling technologies like this one, towards a sustained human presence on the Moon and maybe one day Mars."