Extraction of light gasses from Mars or its moons
The light elements H, C, N, O and S are important for propellant production and life support in space. These light elements occur on Mars, and may occur on the martian moons Phobos and Deimos, in forms that would allow their collection as gasses. The martian north pole apparently contains large amounts (/approximately/10/sup 13/ MT) of H/sub 2/O but has not been probed or sampled. The martian atmosphere is relatively well known; a MW-scale plant could produce 1000 MT of O/sub 2/ per Earth-year by dissociation of CO/sub 2/ from the martian atmosphere. A plant of about 3 MW power might produce 1000 MT of H/sub 2/ plus O/sub 2/ per Earth-year by extracting and dissociating water from the martian moons (if they are chondritic), but more data and process development are needed before such a plant can be considered with certainty. 5 refs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6938221
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-88-1282; CONF-880843-3; ON: DE88009123
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: SPACE conference, Albuquerque, NM, USA, 29 Aug 1988; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GENERAL PHYSICS
MARS PLANET
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
CARBON DIOXIDE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SATELLITE ATMOSPHERES
SATELLITES
SPACE FLIGHT
SULFATES
WATER
ATMOSPHERES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANETS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena