From Moon Materials to High-Performance Products: Ultra-Purification of Resources and their Manufacturing as Medicinal Formulations

Researchers: Quy Don Tran, Nam Nghiep Tran, Volker Hessel

In this research, we are conducting a long-duration stability study on the International Space Station (ISS), providing data for potential future manufacturing of medicines in space. This is the first-Australian-led NASA-ISS experiment. We perform studies concurrently inside and outside ISS; meaning also in the true outer space. The cosmic-ray stability of the medicine Ibuprofen, encapsulated flavors, and vitamin C will be studied as a function of their formulation environment, i.e., the pharmaceutical excipients which form a tablet.

Varying combinations of common pharmaceutical excipient ingredients are used including compounds such as Calcium Phosphate Ca3(PO4)2, Talcum/Magnesium Silicate Mg₃Si₄O₁₀(OH)₂, Silica SiO2, Titania TiO2, and Iron Oxide Fe2O3. These compunds are also found in minerals on the lunar surface, and we will present a process design for an in-space pharmaceutical factory, manufacturing on-orbit or on celestial body (moon), which uses abundant lunar materials.

While the ISS measurements are still to come (September 2021), we will present similar Earth investigations, focusing on cosmic-ray stability. For proton, alpha and beta radiation investigations, we use Americium-241, Strontium-90, and electron beam sources at effective energy levels ranging from 0.059 to 5.486 MeV. For gamma and X-ray investigations, we use Americium-241 and Iridium-192 sources at effective energy levels of 0.059-0.38 MeV, and Xray tubes with peak photon energies of 0.03-0.15 and 6-18 MeV, respectively.

To investigate and exemplify the whole lunar supply chain, we perform micro-flow solvent extraction of solutions of metals, as basis to mine above excipient materials, and have previously investigated asteroid space materials. We currently investigate the potential of Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) for the purification of multi-metal solutions under microfluidic conditions.

Benefits to Life on Earth

New medicinal formulations of improved stability. Efficient extraction and purification of critical minerals.