In a significant breakthrough, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) lunchbox-sized machine has been producing oxygen from the Red Planet's atmosphere for more than a year, giving hope of life on Mars one day.
MIT’s MOXIE experiment has now produced oxygen on Mars. It is the first demonstration of in-situ resource utilization on the Red Planet, and a key step in the goal of sending humans on a Martian mission.
Aliens could be on Mars, most believe. Water on Mars could hold more oxygen than previously believed. It theoretically enough to support aerobic respiration, suggests a new research challenging traditional beliefs about the Red planet’s habitability. The new finding runs contrary to the current, accepted view of Mars and its potential for hosting habitable environments.
A catalyst that destroys perchlorate in water could clean Martian soil Author: Holly Ober
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A team led by UC Riverside engineers has developed a catalyst to remove a dangerous chemical from water on Earth that could also make Martian soil safer for agriculture and help produce oxygen for human Mars explorers.
Perchlorate, a negative ion consisting of one chlorine atom bonded to four oxygen atoms, occurs naturally in some soils on Earth, and is especially abundant in Martian soil. As a powerful oxidizer, perchlorate is also manufactured and used in solid rocket fuel, fireworks, munitions, airbag initiators for vehicles, matches and signal flares. It is a byproduct in some disinfectants and herbicides.