NASA plans to produce oxygen on Mars and water on the moon

According to the Discovery News website, NASA is planning missions to demonstrate how to produce water on the moon and oxygen on Mars. As one of the scientists involved in the project explained, every gram thrown into space counts, and items such as air, water, and fuel, considered to be “dead weights, ” eventually occupy a space that could be destined for more equipment and scientific experiments, that is, the "smart weights".

The initiative is part of a space exploration strategy based on resources that can be produced on the destination planet primarily to ensure that the spacecraft have enough fuel for the return trip. In this sense, studies have shown that this is a viable option for future human expeditions, as the use of “alien” resources would drastically reduce launch costs.

Extraterrestrial Resources

The first test mission is scheduled for 2018 to the moon, and NASA plans to send an explorer with instruments to scour the satellite for hydrogen. The equipment must also obtain samples through boreholes, which will be heated to detect water vapor and volatile compounds present on the moon. Another experiment involves “re-condensing” the steam to obtain water droplets.

Already the second mission to Mars is scheduled for launch in 2020, and the equipment to be shipped has yet to be selected. However, the goal is for it to absorb carbon dioxide from the planet's atmosphere, filter dust and other particulate matter, and prepare this sample to be chemically processed to oxygenate it.

According to NASA, the technology involved is quite simple indeed, and the problems lie in predicting potential unforeseen events - especially those related to the extraterrestrial environment - that could impact water or oxygen production. However, if the test missions are successful, the technology could be applied to operational missions and change the current approach to space exploration travel.