OXYGEN EXTRACTION FROM MARS FOR ADVANCED MISSION LIFE SUPPORT AND POWER

CONVENTIONAL OXYGEN SEPARATION FROM GASES HAS A LOW EXTRACTION EFFICIENCY AND REQUIRES A LARGE ENERGY SOURCE. AN INNOVATIVE LOW POWER, EFFICIENT OXYGEN EXTRACTOR COULD CAPTURE FREE OXYGEN FROM THE MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE FOR USE IN LIFE SUPPORT OR PROPULSION SYSTEMS. SINCE JANUARY 1985, THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT HAS CONTRACTED WITH AQUANAUTICS CORPORATION TO EXTRACT DISSOLVED OXYGEN EFFICIENTLY FROM SEAWATER WITH A UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY INVOLVINGMOLECULAR ENGINEERING AND ELECTROCHEMISTRY. THIS PROCESS CAN BE MODIFIED WITH MINOR CHANGES TO EXTRACT OXYGEN FROM GASES. FOR PHASE I, AQUANAUTICS PROPOSES TO PERFORM FEASIBILITY RESEARCH TO EXTRACT OXYGEN FROM A GAS WITH A VERY LOW OXYGENCONCENTRATION. THIS COULD LEAD TO A PHASE II BENCH PROTOTYPE AND A PHASE III FIELD PROTOTYPE. NASA CAN APPLY THIS REVOLUTIONARY TECHNOLOGY TO ITS PROGRAMS WITH ONLY A SMALL INCREMENTAL INVESTMENT BECAUSE AQUANAUTICS HAS ALREADYINVESTED MORE THAN $6 MILLION IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE COMPANY HAS EXTENSIVE FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT TO CARRY OUT THE PROPOSED WORK PLAN. THE RESEARCH TEAM CONSISTS OF TWENTY PROFESSIONALS WITH CONSULTANTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA CAMPUSES AT BERKELY AND DAVIS. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE OXYGEN EXTRACTOR HAS IMPROVED OVER TWENTYFOLD AND IS APPROACHING THE LOW POWER, HIGH EFFICIENCY GOALS.