We admire your MOXIE, Earthlings: Perseverance rover gizmo produces oxygen for first time on Mars
- Reference: 1619159169
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/04/23/mars_moxie_oxygen/
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The gas was created in what's been called MOXIE: the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment. For this test, a "toaster-sized" atmospheric recycler made of 3D-printed nickel alloy parts, insulating aerogel, and a gold outer coat for infrared heat protection, distilled five grams of oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, which is 96 per cent carbon dioxide. That's enough oxygen for about ten minutes of breathing time for a human.
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The MOXIE device ... Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech. Click to enlarge
“This is a critical first step at converting carbon dioxide to oxygen on Mars,” [3]said Jim Reuter, Associate Administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) of the interstellar aeronautics agency overseen by the rulers of the Earth territory colloquially known as America.
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“Oxygen isn’t just the stuff we breathe. Rocket propellant depends on oxygen, and future explorers will depend on producing propellant on Mars to make the trip home.”
Astroboffins reckon evidence of Martian life has probably been destroyed where liquid acid flowed on the Red Planet [5]READ MORE
MOXIE heats a sample of the atmosphere of Sol's fourth planet to 1,073.15K (800°C), splitting oxygen atoms away from the CO 2 and leaving carbon monoxide. The Earthling hardware can, at best, produce 10 grams of oxygen an hour, though this is a prototype. In future, their space explorers should be able to bring improved equipment that can produce plenty of oxygen on-site, reducing the amount of gas they have to haul with them across the void.
The experimental processor will be fired up at least another nine times on Mars to test its performance at different times of the day and night, and with adjustments to its temperature settings to find the optimal output. Armed with that data, the humans hope to build and test a larger processor that can supply a whole Mars mission.
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“MOXIE isn’t just the first instrument to produce oxygen on another world,” said Trudy Kortes, STMD director of technology demonstrations, on Wednesday. “This process allows us to convert these abundant materials into usable things: propellant, breathable air, or, combined with hydrogen, water.” ®
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[2] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/04/22/moxie.jpg
[3] https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-perseverance-mars-rover-extracts-first-oxygen-from-red-planet
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impressive
Hats off there - while the tech has been known for some time - its a big deal to actually do it on another planet.
aerogel is notoriously fragile stuff - I imagine that NASA has developed improvements in that and the design of the housing which could have applications here.
eg - it would be easy to transport yer pfizer vaccine in a box with a layer of that round it....
Or a flask which stays at temp for days
How long
did it take to produce that five grams of oxygen? I wonder if the next stage is to build an oxygen converter locally?
CO2 can also be acquired from --->
Re: How long
From the description it sounds like it took around 30 minutes. Presumably the current limiting factors are energy input and size. Ideally, you'd also want to be able to source locally some kind of reduction agent in the hope of being able to reduce the temperature required. However, seeing as CO 2 to CO is considered an essential part of our own renewables strategies, it's to be hoped that improvements here can be expected .
Re: How long
Wouldn't bringing a bunch of plants be a better strategy for oxygen generation in the long term? As well as producing CO2 they are also edible and produce their own replacements.
Re: How long
Plants need water. If you're talking really long term - like, post terraforming - then sure.
Re: CO essential part of renewable strategy?
Have you got a link for that? I ducked and ducked but the only place I went had CO as an intermediate in experimental attempts at: CO2+H2O+Lots of energy -> fuel + O2 -> CO2+H2O+Less energy
Cooking on gas...
...nah, they're sucking diesel
However, carbon dioxide breathing space aliens
See the use of chemical weapons as a declaration of war.
"Damn you Earthlings, coming over here, trashing the environment."