The case for having a permanent base on the moon as a staging point for space exploration has been made many times over the years. Actually constructing a real lunar facility presents numerous significant logistical challenges, not least of which is the genuinely astronomical cost of sending things into space.

A team of researchers has unveiled a creative solution to one of space exploration’s biggest hurdles—how to generate power on the Moon. Now, a new study shows that “moonglass” can be fabricated from lunar dust and used to make solar panels more efficiently and cheaply than transporting them from Earth.

A future Moon base is closer to reality than ever before. With missions like Artemis 3 planned for 2026 and a lunar outpost on the horizon, one challenge stands in the way: energy. Getting enough power to support human life on the Moon isn’t just a matter of plugging in solar panels.