MIT Researchers Develop Plasma Technology to Produce Propellant on Mars

• MIT researchers are developing technology to convert Mars' atmospheric carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon monoxide for fuel and life support.
• The research focuses on In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) to enable return trips and sustainable missions to the Martian surface.

Plasma Reactor Innovation

• PhD candidate Lanie McKinney and the Aerospace Plasma Group are testing a Nanosecond Repetitively Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge (NRP-DBD) reactor.
• The device is paired with an oxygen-selective membrane designed to rapidly extract oxygen and prevent it from recombining with carbon monoxide.
• Research is ongoing to understand the chemical conversion process and the membrane's durability in a reactive plasma environment.

Broader Space Sustainability Efforts

• McKinney's team, CERBERUZ, won first prize in Phase 2 of NASA's LunaRecycle Challenge for a system that grinds trash into 3D-printing filament.
• Her work also includes designing modular, mortar-free construction bricks made from lunar regolith to protect habitats from radiation.
• The projects emphasize that human survival on the Moon and Mars requires multi-disciplinary collaboration, public-private partnerships, and effective on-site resource management.