The Martian atmosphere has nearly ideal conditions for producing oxygen from atmospheric carbon dioxide using low-temperature plasma. This could come in handy for the life support of future manned missions to the Red Planet. The article was published in the journal Plasma Sources Science and Technology.
Due to the insufficient carrying capacity of existing launch vehicles, engineers involved in the development of future manned missions to Mars are trying to minimize the mass of the spacecraft. To do this, they work in several directions, one of which is the development of technologies that make it possible to obtain the necessary materials and energy on site, from the resources of the planet under investigation. At the same time, obviously, one of the most important substances necessary for astronauts is oxygen.
The researchers proposed to obtain oxygen on Mars not by electrolysis of water, but to decompose carbon dioxide using low-temperature plasma. The fact is that the Martian atmosphere is 95 percent carbon dioxide. The researchers carried out simulations and found that the decomposition of CO2 into CO and oxygen at pressures and temperatures corresponding to the Martian atmosphere is much more efficient than under terrestrial conditions.
The researchers also compared the technology to a similar project called MOXIE, which plans to create a solid oxide electrolysis cell that will generate oxygen from carbon dioxide. According to the calculations of scientists, using low-temperature plasma can achieve the same level of production.
Scientists and engineers are preparing other technologies for future manned missions to explore Mars. Researchers recently conducted an experiment on growing potatoes in conditions close to Martian conditions. It turned out that potato tubers can grow under such conditions, although the authors of the experiment were silent about their suitability for food. And American engineers learned how to 3D print tools from a material that is 70 percent artificial regolith.
Grigory Kopiev