Supporting human life on long-tern space exploration missions, such as manned missions to the surface of Mars, require sustainable resource utilization with minimal support from Earth. In response to this need, NASAs in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) mission was put in place to provide a sustainable infrastructure for long-tern missions, such as exploration of extraterrestrial planets. One particular resource available on Mars is atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 makes up 95% of the atmosphere, providing an abundant resource for human explorers to take advantage of. For instance, CO2 can be electrochemically reduced into ethanol. Ethanol exists as a liquid on the Martian surface, allowing for relative ease of storage. Additionally, this chemical can be used as an energy source in fuel cells, and can act as a feedstock for material manufacturing. In Phase I, Faraday and UTSA will develop an electrochemical reactor capable of converting atmospheric carbon dioxide into ethanol at conditions commonly experienced on the Martian surface, such as low temperatures (-65°C average on Martian surface). Optimization of ethanol production will be performed through modifying the reactor design and the electrodes, with the goal of producing ethanol with high selectivity (>50%) with a low energy requirement for production of ethanol (0.047 g ethanol per watt-hour). Additionally, Phase I will include a critical risk assessment for using naturally occurring perchlorate salts, which are found in the water on Mars, as the electrolyte in the electrochemical reactor. Alignment of this technology with future NASA and commercial missions to Mars is critical for successful integration, and with the help of our team, we will assess safety and system robustness metrics required for Phase II and beyond. In Phase II, we will work to scale up the production of ethanol, while also establishing the ability to process CO2 from atmosphere conditions similar to Mars. Anticipated
Benefits: The ability to produce high-value energy and chemical feedstocks using abundant resources is critical for the success of manned missions to Mars. The proposed technology would support lower launch masses required for escaping Earths gravity well and long-term activities on the Martian surface. Ethanol produced through this technology can be used as power source, or as a feedstock for production of materials such as polyethylene. Furthermore, the oxygen produced as a byproduct can be used in life-support systems or as an oxidant in propellants. The potential terrestrial customer could be involved in a variety of industries. By far the largest industry for ethanol is the fuel industry, in which ethanol is an additive in gasoline to improve emissions. The ability to produce cleaner burning fuels while also removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere in the process could be a significant selling point for commercial partnerships.
