Building space rocket fuel stations on Mars in the future is a topic of interest for scientists. Creating rocket fuel from conditions on Mars is attracting much scientific interest. According to Interest Engineering, one of the groups of scientists exploring this idea is from the University of Cincinnati. Scientists on the team are looking for ways to convert greenhouse gases into rocket fuel to solve the problem of climate change on Earth and will become a cheaper option to power space vehicles. .
Recent research from the University of Cincinnati focused on using a carbonate catalyst in a reactor that would turn carbon dioxide into methane, which in turn could be used as a fuel for future rockets. The journal Interesting Engineering reports that the method is based on the “Sabatier reaction” being used by the International Space Station to remove carbon dioxide inside a floating lab and produce drinking water and methane.
In a news release shared by Phys.org, the team says their technology could allow astronauts to carry only half of the fuel on a journey. The other half will be produced from carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere. Professor Jingjie Wu from the research team commented that the project would be like building a gas station on Mars. Astronauts can easily inject the carbon dioxide needed for the reactor to generate methane for their rocket here. But to do that, Wu says they hope to find the most efficient way to recycle carbon dioxide.
As for whether methane-powered rockets could be something new in the future, Interesting Engineering says SpaceX, Blue Origin and NASA have tested rocket engines using liquid methane as fuel. for the Mars lander and other spacecraft.
In a tweet, Elon Musk said that SpaceX is looking at using the Sabatier reaction using wind and solar energy to convert carbon dioxide into methane.
