Mars colonists could get fuel and oxygen from water on the Red Planet
Colonists on Mars could one day generate fuel and oxygen from saltwater on the Red Planet, a new study finds.
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An artist’s illustration of astronauts mining water on Mars.
The novel technology behind this advance could also help submarines generate oxygen from seawater on Earth, researchers said.
In order to live on Mars, any potential colonists will need oxygen to breathe and fuels such as hydrogen gas to power their equipment. Any water they find on the Red Planet will therefore prove invaluable, as they can use electricity and other methods to break water down into both hydrogen and oxygen.
Related: How living on Mars could challenge colonists (infographic)
“Mars is a long way out there, and we are limited in the amount of stuff we can bring with us, so if we can utilize resources already present there, that’s more economical and more viable