NASA Confirms Possibility of Producing Oxygen on Mars

NASA, the American space agency, has confirmed the potential to produce breathable oxygen in the Martian atmosphere.

According to a report published by "ScienceAlert," NASA, through the instrument "MOXIE" aboard the Perseverance rover, has managed to break down Martian air particles and generate a small, steady supply of oxygen.

Pamela Melroy, NASA's Deputy Administrator, expressed her excitement about the possibility of extracting oxygen from the Martian atmosphere.

This achievement could help provide breathable air and even rocket fuel for future space explorers. S

he noted that the development of these technologies enables optimal use of resources available on the Moon or Mars, emphasizing its significance for "long-term presence in space" and supporting initial human exploration missions on Mars.

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology designed the "MOXIE" instrument, which has been operating since the Perseverance rover landed on Mars in February 2021. It is managed from Earth and receives operational commands to test the Martian surface.

"Moxie" has conducted 16 tests, successfully producing 122 grams of oxygen. This production would allow a human to survive for nearly 4 hours with the generated oxygen.

NASA estimates that landing four astronauts on the Martian surface would require about 7 metric tons of rocket fuel in addition to 25 metric tons of oxygen.