A device aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover has broken new ground by producing oxygen on Mars. The toaster-sized device, called MOXIE, produced enough oxygen to sustain an astronaut for several hours, giving hope for future human exploration.Landing on the red planet in February 2021, the Perseverance rover has been periodically burning carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to produce small amounts of oxygen for more than two years. Using a device no bigger than a microwave, NASA was able to extract a total of 122 grams of oxygen that could support an astronaut for about three hours.
Is oxygen the only thing necessary for life on Mars?
It is stated that about 5 grams of oxygen for 10 minutes is sufficient for an astronaut, and production on a larger scale could support human life and also provide rocket fuel during future explorations. Executive Vice President Pam Melroy said:
“MOXIE’s impressive performance demonstrates that it is possible to extract oxygen from the atmosphere of Mars – oxygen that could help provide future astronauts with breathable air or rocket propellant.”
Considering that 95% of the Martian atmosphere is carbon dioxide, it is not thought that there will be a shortage of derivative materials. But ways need to be found to speed up the process. For this is not the only problem on the way to conquering the Red Planet. Severe cold (average temperature -62 °C) can quickly freeze a person without a spacesuit, and at the same time, low atmospheric pressure can cause blood circulation problems. In addition, we should not forget the high levels of carcinogenic radiation.
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