According to researchers from China, they have developed a robot equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) capable of conducting chemical reactions to transform water on Mars into oxygen. This innovative technology could offer a potential solution for future space travelers to generate essential breathable air on the Red Planet, crucial for sustaining human life and even producing rocket fuel.
The team at Hefei University of Science and Technology in China spearheaded the study, focusing on creating a catalyst for water decomposition and oxygen extraction using locally available materials on Mars. By experimenting on comets with similarities to Martian composition, the researchers utilized a “robot pharmacist” to analyze metallic elements such as iron, copper, magnesium, and aluminum present in meteorites.
Through a sophisticated process, the AI-powered system identified over 3.7 million protein combinations from the meteorite samples, enabling it to predict the catalyst needed to extract oxygen from water molecules effectively. The optimal catalyst identified by the AI could operate at temperatures below 37 degrees Fahrenheit, mirroring the Martian climate conditions.
Remarkably, the AI scientist completed the entire experiment within two weeks autonomously, a task that would have taken a human scientist approximately 2000 years to accomplish. The comprehensive results of this groundbreaking research were published in the journal Nature Synthesizing.
Lead author Jun Jiang expressed his childhood dream of space exploration coming to fruition through this technological advancement, envisioning a future where humans could potentially inhabit Mars. The researchers plan to further test the AI system’s adaptability to diverse Martian environments beyond temperature variations.
The study, detailed in a report in Nature, revealed that the AI system could produce around 60 grams of air per hour per square meter of Martian material. This level of oxygen production could potentially eliminate the need to transport oxygen from Earth for future missions, ensuring sustainable oxygen generation on Mars for extended periods. Jiang also suggested the robot’s potential applications in creating essential catalysts for plant growth and food production to support astronauts on Mars, hinting at broader possibilities for this innovative technology beyond the Red Planet.
