Honda, in collaboration with space technology companies Sierra Space and Tec-Masters, will send its high differential pressure water electrolysis system to the International Space Station (ISS), The Verge reports.
This test is part of the automaker's initiative to support life on the Moon and other space objects using regenerative fuel cell technologies that continuously produce hydrogen, oxygen and electricity.
The Japanese automaker says it sees its hydrogen regenerative system as part of a human settlement on the lunar surface, while the company hopes to prove the technology's usefulness on Earth through stress testing in space.
Honda's system will use the electrical energy generated by solar panels during the lunar day. It will then use high-pressure electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen and oxygen. As the Moon moves away from the Sun, some of the oxygen will be used by astronauts, while the rest will be used to generate electrical energy. The only by-product of this system is water, which is recycled back into the regenerative system, creating a closed loop.
The automaker will partner with NASA to send its equipment aboard Sierra Space's Dream Chaser shuttle to the ISS, where Tec-Masters will serve as a technology expert.
Honda has a much more optimistic view of hydrogen than other automakers. While hydrogen cars have faced numerous challenges, such as limited fuel supply and high cost, the Japanese company hopes that hydrogen will help it achieve decarbonization of its vehicles by 2040. Honda is currently using the most abundant element in the universe for its space projects.