Speaker
Description
Sending a manned mission to Mars is often viewed as one of next steps in space exploration. Naturally, all the challenges associated with this endeavour must be well-understood in order to sustain a permanent human presence. One of these challenges is the creation of a breathable environment. In this work, it is argued that a sustainable oxygen supply in Mars can be achieved by converting carbon dioxide directly from the Martian atmosphere. Under this scenario, it is then necessary to find breakthrough technology that efficiently converts CO2. Here we propose the use of non-thermal plasma technology. This weakly-ionized gas medium allows the coexistence of energetic electrons with relatively cold gas molecules. Under such conditions, far from thermodynamic equilibrium, it is possible to intensify traditional chemical processes and to achieve molecular dissociation with high energy efficiencies. With this in mind, we address the possibility to use plasma as a viable and very interesting approach for oxygen production in Mars. This contribution presents a joint combination of experimental and modeling studies in which we have simulated the Martian conditions with the purpose of understanding the main mechanisms responsible for an efficient production of O2 via CO2 decomposition.
Summary
State-to-State model for CO2 dissociation in Mars conditions
