NASA Rocket Fuel from CO2

July 29, 2010

In this dispatch, we're just confirming some of our earlier reports, wherein we revealed that NASA intends to make it's own rocket fuel on the planet Mars, by utilizing only the Carbon Dioxide in the Martian atmosphere and the Water present in the ice on the Martian surface, through employment of the Nobel Prize-winning, one century-old Sabatier process. .

That is confirmed by this brief excerpt from the enclosed link:

"Although Mars is not rich in methane, methane can be manufactured there via the Sabatier process: Mix some carbon dioxide (CO2) with hydrogen (H), then heat the mixture to produce CH4 and H20 -- methane and water. The Martian atmosphere is an abundant source of carbon dioxide, and the relatively small amount of hydrogen required for the process may be ... gathered from Martian ice."

Should you check out the full article by accessing the link, you will be treated to the photograph of a truly impressive spray of energetic flame spewing from the business end of a rocket motor.

Not stated specifically, but most definitely implied, is that all of that impressive light and heat energy could have started life as nothing but dreary old Carbon Dioxide.

We do note that elemental Hydrogen is needed for the NASA version of the Sabatier process, which they intend to obtain from the Martian ice. As we have previously documented, and as we will further report, there are economical ways to obtain such needed Hydrogen, for the recycling of Carbon Dioxide, from Water.

But, the point is: We can, as herein, realistically contemplate recycling Carbon Dioxide on the planet Mars.

Yet we cannot, it seems, even consider, publicly, such a concept right here on Earth.

Following references courtesy of James E. Atwater, currently affiliated with the School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering at Oregon State University.:

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Forsythe, R.K., Verostko, C.E., Cusick, R.J., and Blakely, R.L., A Study of Sabatier Reactor Operation, in Zero "G", SAE Technical Paper Series No. 840936, presented 14th Intersociety Conference on Environmental Systems, 1984.

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Noyes, G.P., and Cusick, R.J., An Advanced Carbon Reactor Subsystem for Carbon Dioxide Reduction, SAE Technical Paper Series No. 860995, presented 16th Intersociety Conference on Environmental Systems, San Diego, CA, July 14-16, 1986.

Otsuji, K., Hanabusa, O., Sawada, T., Satoh, S., and Minemoto, M., An Experimental Study of the Bosch and the Sabatier CO2 Reduction Processes, SAE Technical Paper Series No. 871517, presented 17th Intersociety Conference on Environmental Systems, Seattle, WA, July 1987.

Sabatier, P., and Senderens, J.B., Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci., 134, 689, 1902.

Samsonov, N.M., Kurmazenko, E.A., Gavrilov, L.I., Farafonov, N.S., Dokunin, I.V., Markin, S.V., Pavlova, T.N., Naumov, V.A., and Jakimenko, A.O., Results of Engineering Development of the Carbon Dioxide Reduction Assembly for a Space Station Integrated Life Support System, SAE Technical Paper Series No. 951557, presented at 25th International Conference on Environmental Systems, San Diego, CA, July 10-13, 1995.

Samsonov, N.M. and et al, A Complex of Systems for Oxygen Recovery Aboard a Manned Space Station, SAE Technical Paper Series No. 932275, Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 1993.

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Strumpf, H.J., Chin, C.Y., Lester, G.R., and Homeyer, S.T., Sabatier Carbon Dioxide Reduction System for Long-Duration Manned Space Application, SAE Technical Paper Series No. 911541, presented 21st International Conference on Environmental Systems, San Francisco, CA, July 15-18, 1991.