NASA Tests Lander Refueling Tech for Future Space Missions

Experts at NASA's Glenn Research Center are developing a system to produce rocket fuel on the Moon or Mars, reducing launch costs.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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NASA engineers are testing a new technology called CryoFILL (Cryogenic Fluid In-Situ Liquefaction for Landers) that could transform how NASA fuels future space exploration missions. The system aims to produce and liquefy oxygen on the Moon or Mars, allowing landers to be refueled on the surface and reducing the amount of propellant needed to launch from Earth.

Why it matters

As NASA plans increasingly ambitious Artemis missions to the Moon and eventually Mars, finding ways to utilize local resources and reduce launch costs will be crucial. The CryoFILL system could help sustain a long-term lunar presence by producing rocket fuel from water ice found on the Moon.

The details

The CryoFILL project uses a flight-like cryocooler developed by Creare LLC to remove heat from the system that extracts oxygen from the Moon's water ice. This allows the oxygen to condense and remain at extremely cold temperatures below minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit, which can then be used as rocket propellant. NASA engineers are testing how the oxygen liquefies and how the system responds to different scenarios, with the goal of scaling up and automating the technology for future in-situ refueling on the Moon, Mars, or other planetary surfaces.

  • NASA engineers began testing the CryoFILL system at the Glenn Research Center's Creek Road Cryogenics Complex on September 24, 2025.
  • The testing is expected to continue over the next three months, with NASA studying how oxygen condenses under various conditions and validating temperature computer models.

The players

Evan Racine

CryoFILL project manager at NASA Glenn Research Center.

Wesley Johnson

CryoFILL lead engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center.

Creare LLC

A company that developed the flight-like cryocooler used in the CryoFILL system through NASA's Small Business Innovation Research program.

NASA's Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio Project

A cross-agency team based at NASA Glenn and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, working on more than 20 individual technology development activities as part of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate.

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What they’re saying

“If you think about how much fuel your spacecraft would need to go to Mars and come home, it's quite a lot. If we can produce and liquefy oxygen on the Moon or Mars, we can fuel landers on the surface where they land, reducing the amount of propellant needed to launch from Earth.”

— Evan Racine, CryoFILL project manager at NASA Glenn Research Center (nasa.gov)

“We're testing with flight-like hardware to see how oxygen liquefies and how the system responds to different scenarios. These are critical steps toward scaling up and automating future in-situ refueling.”

— Wesley Johnson, CryoFILL lead engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center (nasa.gov)

What’s next

Over the next three months, NASA engineers will continue studying how oxygen condenses under various conditions, use the data to validate temperature computer models, and demonstrate how NASA can scale the CryoFILL technology for larger applications. Once the test is complete, the data will inform designs of these technologies for use on the Moon, Mars, or other planetary surfaces.

The takeaway

The CryoFILL system represents a significant step forward in NASA's efforts to utilize local resources and reduce launch costs for future space exploration missions. By producing rocket fuel on the Moon or Mars, NASA can extend the duration of planetary surface operations and lay the groundwork for more ambitious crewed missions to destinations like Mars.