Abstract

The current mainstream idea for oxygen production on Mars is an electrolysis system, which has inefficiencies and produces the dangerous byproduct of hydrogen. This inefficiency would not be ideal for the long-term wellbeing of Martian settlers. My research aims to develop a novel and more resource-sustainable system that utilizes in-situ Martian carbon dioxide to create oxygen. The system uses algae to create this oxygen, as it is a very efficient photosynthetic organism. This paper will discuss the design process, the findings, the optimal parameters, and current experimentation that will lead to prototype development. It is the intent of this research that the resulting algae oxygen production system designed under these conditions might serve as a reliable, sustainable, efficient, and/or independent oxygen production source for a future Martian colony.