As part of NASA's Perseverance spacecraft, NASA's Ocean Oxygen Organization (MOXIE) experiment has continuously broken up molecules in the air on the red planet to create a small but stable supply of oxygen. Now, MOXIE is about to retire after completing the job well, according to Science Alert.
The impressive performance of MOXIE shows that separating oxygen from Mars atmosphere is feasible, says NASA's deputy director Pam Melroy. Oxygen could help provide breathing space or create rocket fuel for future astronauts.
The development of technologies that allow us to use resources on the Moon and Mars is very important to build a long-term human presence on these planets, creating a strong lunar economy and allowing us to support the human Earth exploration campaign, he added.
The MOXIE experiment designed by MIT scientists (USA) has been in operation since the Perseverance spacecraft landed on Mars in February 2021. Since then, MOXIE has generated a total of 122 grams of oxygen through 16 runs. NASA says this amount of oxygen is enough to keep a small dog breathing for 10 hours, or a human for 4 hours.
MOXIE's experience
The oxygen extraction process works using electrolytes, using electricity to promote the electrolyte breakdown of carbon dioxide into its component atoms. MOXIE sucks Mars air through a filter to filter it. This refined Martian air is then compressed, heated and sent via a solid OXide Electromechanical Eastward Exchanger (SOXE). The electricity separates carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide (CO) and oxygen (O2) ions.
CO gas is pushed out, but oxygen atoms are combined intolet oxygen, the type of oxygen we need to survive. This air is then measured in quantity and purity before being released back.
After a few hours of warm-up, MOXIE collected oxygen for 1 hour for each test, followed by a period of power outage. MOXIE is designed to produce up to 10 grams of oxygen to an astronaut in about 20 minutes. This shows that no matter how thin and dilute the Martian atmosphere is, it can still provide oxygen.
Even in the worst case, a device like MOXIE could replenish other oxygen supplies, reducing the amount of goods needed to transport from Earth to the planets in the future.
With what has been learned from MOXIE, MOXIE's physicists, physicists and Chief Investigator Michael Hecht of MIT believe they can develop a full-scale system that includes a new and improved version of the oxygen extraction device.
