RT
NASA has confirmed the possibility of producing breathable oxygen in the Martian atmosphere.
According to a report published by the “Science Alert” website, NASA was able, through the “Moxy” tool located on the Perseverance rover, to break up the molecules of Martian air and generate a small, constant supply of oxygen.
“It is impressive that oxygen can be extracted from the Martian atmosphere, which could help provide breathable air or even rocket fuel for future astronauts,” said Pamela Milroy, the agency’s deputy director.
She pointed out that the development of these technologies allows optimal use of “the resources available on the surface of the Moon or Mars,” adding that this matter is extremely important to enable “a long-term presence in space… and allows the support of initial human exploration campaigns on Mars.”
Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology designed the “Moxy” tool, which has been operating since the Perseverance rover landed on Mars in February 2021, as it is managed from Earth and operational commands are given to it to test the surface of Mars.
Moxy conducted 16 tests to produce 122 grams of oxygen, which allows a person to survive for about 4 hours.
NASA says that landing 4 astronauts on the surface of Mars will require about 7 metric tons of rocket fuel, in addition to 25 metric tons of oxygen.
