.png)
.png){kind=small}
September 2023
By: Stacy Lagman
One of humanity’s longest desires is to live on Mars. This red, rocky planet has always been the subject of debate as scientists ponder if we could actually live on the red planet. Can we turn this rusty, deserted wasteland into a metropolis of technology and innovation? Can we actually grow plants and raise animals there? Can we form life and live sustainably on Mars, just like the fictional stories we tell in our heads?
One of NASA’s biggest goals is to advance human exploration on Mars, to go where no one has ever gone before as Captain James T. Kirk once said. In recent years, missions like Perseverance, twin rovers Opportunity and Spirit, MAVEN, and Moon to Mars have all been revolutionary projects that could take humanity to another world. But a new experiment has emerged that could turn the tides.
Meet MOXIE, which stands for Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment. This device can generate about 122 grams of oxygen, around the same amount a small dog breathes in 10 hours. Producing 12 grams per hour, most of the oxygen it produces is 98% pure. The creators behind this utility were beyond amazed when MOXIE not only passed all their technical requirements, but exceeded them. “We’re proud to have supported a breakthrough technology like MOXIE that could turn local resources into useful products for future exploration missions,” said Trudy Kortes, director of technology demonstrations, Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD).
So, how does MOXIE produce oxygen? It’s actually quite simple. It collects carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Martian atmosphere first. Then, it separates the oxygen atoms (O2) from the CO. Next, it analyzes the oxygen content to make sure it’s pure before releasing it back into the planet. NASA mostly plans to use this technology for rocket propellants, but it still serves as the first demonstration that humans can use to survive on Mars.
Michael Hecht, the instrument’s principal investigator from MIT, said, “MOXIE has clearly served as inspiration to the ISRU community. It showed NASA is willing to invest in these kinds of future technologies. And it has been a flagship that has influenced the exciting industry of space resources.”
References
Brian Dunbar, July 27, 2023 (Last Updated), “Moon to Mars Overview”, NASA, [ https://www.nasa.gov/topics/moon-to-mars/overview ]
Andrew Good, September 6, 2023, “NASA's Oxygen-Generating Experiment MOXIE Completes Mars Mission”, NASA, [ https://mars.nasa.gov/news/9474/nasas-oxygen-generating-experiment-moxie-completes-mars-mission/ ]
Comments