This groundbreaking feat was accomplished using the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) device, which converted carbon dioxide into oxygen over a span of two years.
In a groundbreaking experiment, NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars produced enough oxygen to sustain an astronaut for three hours. The rover, which landed on Mars for the first time in February 2021, utilized the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) device to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen at regular intervals over two years.
According to NASA, the microwave-sized device has produced 4.3 ounces (122 grams) of oxygen since it arrived on the Red Planet. This amount is equivalent to the breath a small dog takes in about 10 hours, giving scientists hope that human life could be sustained on this inhospitable planet one day.
Trudy Kortes, the director of technology demonstrations in the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said, "We are proud to support groundbreaking technology like MOXIE, which can convert local resources into useful products for future exploration missions. By proving this technology under real-world conditions, we've taken a step closer to a future where astronauts can 'live off the land' on Mars."
