I read about this thing elsewhere recently. It releases it as carbon monoxide. So future astronauts will simultaneously breathe and asphyxiate.
Seriously, I assume some kind of space catalytic converter will scrub the CO.
It’s a model made before catalytic converters so it’ll run good on regular gas.
4 Likes
And turn it back into…CO2? So this thing doesn’t sequester carbon…
I think the current one is just a proof-of-concept device, and the CO is being pumped into the atmosphere like the O2 is. Future devices will clearly have to account for the carbon, probably through some sort of sequestration. I’m crossing my fingers that instead it’ll be feedstock for carbon-based nanostructures that can be used to make useful things on Mars, but that may be a bit science-fiction-y.
2 Likes
I thought there was something or other that you could spray onto ferric oxide to liberate the oxygen? Or am I misremembering?
That little bit of free O2 that’s being released is probably only working to incrementally accelerate the planet-wide rusting that’s been going on for eons.
4 Likes
Yes. We are finally doing something about Climate Change but we’re doing it on the wrong planet.
3 Likes
Well, oxygen is volatile, so even the weak sunlight of Mars should be enough to get it to find other molecules to combine with. It will soon be carbon dioxide, or iron oxide, or what have you long before any indigenous folks have to deal with it.
2 Likes
Misleading headline. We are, not were.
4 Likes
Do you know we are making oxygen on Mars? (indicative)
Did you know we were making oxygen on Mars? (subjunctive)
There has to be internal consistency in a sentence.
8 Likes
Velcome to BB, new comrade.
7 Likes
This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.
