Perseverance has completed an oxygen extraction mission to Mars - the rover was able to get 122g of pure gas

Perseverance has successfully completed a mission to extract oxygen from the atmosphere of the Red Planet. For this purpose, the rover is equipped with an instrument called MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilisation Experiment).

Here's What We Know

Carbon dioxide makes up about 96% of the atmosphere on Mars. NASA has developed the MOXIE instrument, which can separate its molecules into two oxygen atoms and one carbon atom. The instrument separates only one oxygen atom, and carbon monoxide is released as a byproduct.

During the process of separating the oxygen atom, the temperature rises to 798° C. In this regard, MOXIE has received a gold coating and an aerogel. The presence of heat resistant materials ensures that heat is retained inside the tool.

The aim of the experiment is to demonstrate the possibility of generating oxygen on the Red Planet. It will be needed not only for breathing. Scientists plan to use the oxygen in rockets that will bring people back home.

The experiment lasted about two years. MOXIE was launched for the last time on 7 August. It was the 16th attempt to separate oxygen from a carbon molecule. During this time, the instrument was able to produce 122g of pure gas. The best rate was twice the normal rate of 12 g/hour with a purity of at least 98%.

Source: NASA