Chinese Researchers Develop Robotic Space Chemist to Create Oxygen on Mars
Chinese researchers have unveiled a breakthrough development in space exploration technology. A team of scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei announced that they have developed a robotic space chemist equipped with artificial intelligence and a robotic arm that is capable of creating oxygen on Mars using materials from the planet’s surface.
The refrigerator-sized machine was designed to break down materials from meteorites found on Mars and analyze them in order to identify a chemical formula that can cause oxygen to separate from water. According to the researchers, it would have taken a human 2,000 years to find the same formula that the robotic chemist was able to identify in a much shorter period of time.
“Oxygen supply must be the top priority for any human activity on Mars, because rocket propellants and life support systems consume substantial amounts of oxygen, which cannot be replenished from the Martian atmosphere,” the researchers wrote in a statement. “Here we demonstrate a robotic artificial-intelligence chemist for automated synthesis and intelligent optimization of catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction from Martian meteorites.”
The development of this robotic space chemist could have significant implications for future missions to Mars. By creating oxygen from Martian materials and ice, astronauts would no longer need to bring oxygen-creating supplies from Earth. Furthermore, the robotic chemist could eliminate the need for direct human oversight over these processes, allowing for more efficient and autonomous operations on the Red Planet.
Lead scientist Jun Jiang emphasized the potential of the robotic AI system, stating, “We think our machine can make use of compounds in Martian ores without human guidance.”
This recent breakthrough comes following NASA’s success with its Perseverance rover and the experimental device known as MOXIE, which has successfully produced oxygen 16 different times from the Martian atmosphere since 2021. MOXIE has already produced over 120 grams of oxygen in total, demonstrating the feasibility of creating oxygen on Mars.
It is clear that advancements in space exploration technology, such as the development of the robotic space chemist by Chinese researchers, are paving the way for more autonomous and sustainable missions to Mars and beyond. As our understanding of extraterrestrial environments continues to grow, the potential for human habitation and resource utilization in space becomes increasingly attainable.