NASA’s Perseverance rover has been orbiting the surface of Mars since 2021, collecting samples and probing the region for signs of ancient microbial life.
It even managed to produce some breathable oxygen from the planet’s thin atmosphere, thanks to one of its onboard scientific instruments called MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-situ Resource Utilization Experiment). This is seen as a proof of concept that could form the basis of future efforts to colonize the Red Planet.
However, the space agency has a long way to go before such a device can produce enough air for the entire colony. MOXIE has produced only 122 grams of oxygen since landing on the planet in 2021. That’s roughly enough to keep a small dog breathing for ten hours, according to a NASA blurb about the achievement.
Although this amount does not seem very promising, it can easily be said that it is an incredible scientific achievement considering that it was carried out millions of kilometers away from Earth.
“Developing technologies that allow us to exploit resources on the Moon and Mars is critical to establishing a long-term presence on the Moon, creating a robust lunar economy, and allowing us to support the first human exploration campaign to Mars,” NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said in the white paper. ” said.
MOXIE’s performance far exceeded expectations, reportedly producing twice as much oxygen as NASA expected. It was also able to continue production despite widely changing conditions throughout the Martian year.
The device works by sequestering an oxygen atom from each carbon dioxide atom drawn from the Martian atmosphere through a complex electrochemical process. This collected oxygen will not only serve as breathable air for future astronauts, but can also be used to produce rocket fuel. This could make future trips to the Red Planet much more affordable, as it could greatly reduce the amount of fuel that needs to be carried by rocket from Earth.
The researchers are excited to continue their work with the MOXIE 2.0 mission, which can collect oxygen and liquefy it for storage. However, it is not yet clear when such an experiment could reach Mars.
“By proving this technology in real-world conditions, we are one step closer to a future where astronauts ‘make a living off the land’ on the Red Planet,” Trudy Kortes, director of technology demonstrations for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, said in a statement.
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