date of publication:
August 16, 2022 17:16 GMT
Update date: August 16, 2022 18:20 GMT
Researchers have created a new technology that can produce oxygen on the surface of Mars, paving the way for the future colonization of the Red Planet.
And the British newspaper, “Daily Mail”, revealed today, Tuesday, that “this technology plays a key role in the development of new systems to support life on the planet’s surface, and can also be used to process fuels, and create building materials and fertilizers on Mars.”
The new innovation relies on “plasma”, a distinct state of matter that can be described as an “ionized gas” in which the electrons are free and not bound to an atom or molecule.
“Plasma” can be classified as the fourth state in which a substance can exist, according to the newspaper’s report.
According to the report, the Martian atmosphere consists mainly of carbon dioxide, which can be broken down to produce oxygen and carbon.
Study author and researcher at the University of Lisbon, Dr. Vasco Guerra, said, “There are two major obstacles standing in the way of producing oxygen on Mars. The first is the decomposition of carbon dioxide molecules to extract oxygen, as it is a molecule that is difficult to break.”
“The second obstacle is that the oxygen separation produces a gaseous mixture that also contains carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide,” Guerra added.
The researchers explained that “plasma” can help overcome these two challenges, as plasmas contain free particles such as electrons, which are light, and can be easily converted to high energies in electric fields.
“When electrons hit a carbon dioxide molecule, they can decompose directly or transfer energy, and this energy can be directed into the decomposition of carbon dioxide,” Dr. Guerra said.
In addition, the heat generated in the plasma is also useful for separating and producing oxygen, and can also be used to produce fuel and fertilizer, allowing crops to be grown on Mars.
This technology can be useful on Earth’s surface, and plasma technology also helps address climate change on Earth.
It is noteworthy that the results of this study come before NASA’s “Artemis 1” mission, which is scheduled to launch on August 29, and this mission paves the way for future missions to the moon and Mars.
If the Artemis mission is successful, NASA is set to launch astronauts to Mars by the next decade.
