Oxygen on Mars generated by Perseverance Rover’s MOXIE instrument first results

Oxygen on Mars generated by Perseverance Rover’s MOXIE instrument first results

On April 21, 2021 NASA confirmed Perseverance Rover’s MOXIE generated Oxygen on Mars for the first time. Test took place April 20, the 60th Martian day of Perseverance Rover. First MOXIE experiment allowed Perseverance to generate ~6 grams of Oxygen. It is enough for human to breathe for 10 minutes accomplishing normal tasks. Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) accomplished the task to generate Oxygen O2 from Mars’s carbon dioxide CO2 atmosphere. After an hour of operation the total oxygen produced was about 5.4 grams, enough to keep an astronaut healthy for about 10 minutes of normal activity. Mars’ atmosphere is 96% carbon dioxide. MOXIE works by separating oxygen atoms from carbon dioxide molecules, which are made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. A waste product, carbon monoxide, is emitted into the Martian atmosphere. MOXIE’s shield is made of gold.