Oven-sized machine aboard Nasa rover produces oxygen on Mars, completes mission

A unique instrument developed by Nass has shown making oxygen on Mars is possible.

Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilisation Experiment (MOXIE) has successfully concluded its operations after proving to be a viable technology for future astronauts on the Red Planet.

The device, which is about the size of a microwave oven, has been generating oxygen aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover since its landing in 2021.

MOXIE has exceeded expectations by producing a total of 122 grams of oxygen, twice as much as NASA's original goals for the instrument. The oxygen produced is of 98% purity or better, making it suitable for both fuel and breathing purposes.

The device works by using an electrochemical process to separate one oxygen atom from each molecule of carbon dioxide in Mars' thin atmosphere. The gases are then analyzed to check the purity and quantity of the oxygen produced.

MOXIE's success marks a significant step towards future human exploration of Mars. The technology could enable astronauts to 'live off the land', using materials found on the planet's surface to survive. This concept, known as in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), has become a growing area of research.

The next step would be to create a full-scale system that includes an oxygen generator like MOXIE and a way to liquefy and store that oxygen. However, the focus is also on validating other technologies on Mars.

"MOXIE has clearly served as inspiration to the ISRU community," said the instrument’s principal investigator, Michael Hecht of MIT. "It showed NASA is willing to invest in these kinds of future technologies. And it has been a flagship that has influenced the exciting industry of space resources."