NASA's MOXIE experiment successfully produces breathable oxygen on Mars, paving way for human missions
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By Space Daily Editorial Team · Editorial process
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Summary
NASA's MOXIE experiment aboard the Perseverance rover successfully produced breathable oxygen on Mars between 2021 and 2023. The toaster-sized device ran 16 times, generating a total of 122 grams of oxygen — enough for a small dog to breathe for ten hours. This marks the first time humans have manufactured breathable air on another planet, a critical step toward future crewed missions to Mars. The technology works by converting Martian carbon dioxide into oxygen through solid oxide electrolysis, and the results demonstrate that the approach is scalable for supporting human exploration.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIt had produced 5.4 grams of breathable oxygen, enough for an astronaut to breathe for about ten minutes.
The machine, called MOXIE, was the first device ever to manufacture air on the surface of another planet.
By the time it shut down for the final time on August 7, 2023, it had run sixteen times and produced a cumulative 122 grams of oxygen — roughly what a small dog breathes in ten hours.
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