Four billion years ago, according to research by planetary scientists at the University of Oxford, Mars was a humid planet with an oxygen atmosphere. Later, as a result of cataclysms unknown to us, it became completely different: its atmosphere now consists of carbon dioxide. But it is quite possible that in a few decades the situation on the Red Planet will change dramatically.
Mars is considered the first candidate for terraforming - an artificial transformation into a terrestrial planet. At least, the leading space powers, primarily the United States, are now in the mood for the colonization of the Red Planet. Of course, at the initial stage, the colonists will live under protective domes, but in the grandiose plans of mankind - to turn the entire Mars into a planet with an atmosphere suitable for life.
The first small, but perhaps the most important step in this direction NASA plans to take in 2020. Now scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are working on the device, which was called MOXIE. The research team is headed by Professor Michael Hecht.
According to the intention of the creators, MOXIE should collect carbon dioxide in a special chamber and seal it. Further, as a result of the hydrolysis reaction, oxygen will be released from it. Recall that the atmosphere of Mars is 96% carbon dioxide. Do you catch the ingenious design of the creator?..
As it will be
Of course, the capabilities of the first MOXIE are very modest. The working model created so far emits only about 20 grams of pure oxygen per hour. However, the creators are constantly working to improve the unit.
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In 2020, a Mars rover is to land on the Red Planet, according to NASA's plans. It is supposed to place 15 modules on board, among which, of course, there will be MOXIE. The capacity of the unit, which will go to Mars, Michael Hecht calculates, will already reach two kilograms of pure oxygen per hour.
Of course, even this is negligible for a complete transformation of the atmosphere of the Red Planet. However, the use of even such a MOXIE will allow several colonists to fully provide themselves with oxygen, which means it will free up space for other important cargo on board support ships that will be sent to them from Earth.
In addition, scientists expect that, after testing in real Martian conditions, they will be able to increase the performance of the new MOXIEs exponentially.
Much rests on the size of the aggregates, but the researchers' plans are largely related to the improvement of 3D-npn-enter technologies. Perhaps in a couple of decades, they will reach such perfection that they will allow the colonists to start making giant MOXIE modules from local materials right on Mars. These units will be able to begin converting the planet's atmosphere into oxygen. Of course, this is not a matter of months or even several years, but the main thing is to start.
So the transformation of Mars into a planet like Earth does not seem to be something impossible. Another thing is that the efforts of one country, even if it is such a superpower as the United States, will probably not be enough.
If we want to make the Red Planet Earth No. 2 and thereby solve global problems for many years to come, it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of all mankind. And then, as Joseph Kobzon sang, "and on Mars the apple trees will bloom."
Andrey LESHUKONSKY