Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment

MOXIE

The Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE)[1] is a technoligical experiment on the NASA Mars 2020 rover Perseverance trying to find out if oxygen can be created on Mars by using carbon dioxide.[2]

On April 20, 2021, MOXIE produced oxygen from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere by using solid oxide electrolysis. This was the first experimental extraction of a natural resource from another planet for human use.[3]

The technology may help a possible human mission to the planet to provide breathable oxygen.[4]

Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment Media

References

  1. Hecht, M.; Hoffman, J.; Rapp, D.; McClean, J.; SooHoo, J.; Schaefer, R.; Aboobaker, A.; Mellstrom, J.; Hartvigsen, J.; Meyen, F.; Hinterman, E. (2021-01-06). "Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment (MOXIE)". Space Science Reviews. 217 (1): 9. Bibcode:2021SSRv..217....9H. doi:10.1007/s11214-020-00782-8. hdl:1721.1/131816.2. ISSN 1572-9672. S2CID 106398698.
  2. Beutel, Allard (2015-04-15). "NASA Announces Mars 2020 Rover Payload to Explore the Red Planet". NASA. Archived from the original on 2021-02-19. Retrieved 2021-02-25.
  3. (in en) Nasa device extracts breathable oxygen from thin Martian air. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/nasa-device-extracts-breathable-oxygen-from-thin-martian-air-1.4544767. Retrieved 2021-04-22. 
  4. Potter, Sean (2021-04-21). "NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover Extracts First Oxygen from Red Planet". NASA. Archived from the original on 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-04-22.