Bacteria Could Make Rocket Fuel on Mars – Universe Today
[ad_1]
There are many types of rocket fuel. Some are more useful on a particular planet. And some can be created by bacteria. A team from Georgia Tech has found a rocket fuel with an interesting mix of those characteristics that might be a focal point of in-situ resource utilization – on Mars.
2,3-butanediol might not be a household name like methane, which is commonly used as rocket fuel on Earth. It’s primarily used in the manufacture of rubber products. But it does pack quite a punch when burned with liquid oxygen (LOX). Enough of a punch to be able to lift a spaceship into orbit on the Red Planet.
What’s more, 2,3-butanediol is relatively easy to synthesize. All that’s needed are some bioreactors and some CO2. The bioreactors, which are the size of four football fields in the proposal described by the GT team, hold a multistage process that starts with cyanobacteria (also known as algae). Cyanobacteria would photosynthesize as part of their natural life cycle, absorbing CO2 out of the Martian air.
After the algae does its work, it is introduced to enzymes that break it down into complex sugar molecules. Those sugars are then fed to another bacteria – E. coli, a favorite of biology students everywhere. Feasting on the sugars of the dead cyanobacteria, E. coli produces 2,3-butanediol, a type of rocket fuel, which must then be separated from the general soup of the bioreactor.
Credit – NASA
At the end of the process, there’s a propellant (2,3-butanediol) that can react with an oxidizer. Fortunately, this process also creates pure oxygen as a byproduct of one of the steps. So a single process can pull CO2 from Mars’ atmosphere and make both the oxidizer and propellant needed for rocket fuel. Traditional rocket propellant, such as methane, must be shipped from Earth if it is to be used in remote locales like Mars. Costs for those shipments could reach billions of dollars for the amount of rocket fuel required to lift a human-loaded ship back on the way to Mars.
So why hadn’t 2,3-butanediol been offered up as a solution to this expensive rocket fuel creation problem previously? Because it isn’t particularly good – on the Earth at least. Mars has a much smaller gravity well, making it possible for fuels with less power behind them to launch a rocket into orbit effectively. In addition, the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere makes 2,3-butanediol a much more attractive choice for propellant.
While this sounds like an idealized process of creating a valuable resource out of literally thin air on another planet, some hiccups must be overcome first. The first is whether the cyanobacteria and E. coli can live in the Martian environment. Its harsh atmosphere and constant radiation bath can quickly debilitate living organisms, and it would likely be prohibitively expensive to enclose the rocket fuel farm in an environmental dome. So for the process to work, these hardy bacteria will have to operate in the open Martian atmosphere.
There are simulation chambers where this work could be done before a fully-fledged mission to Mars would be planned. And that is exactly what the GT team hopes to do soon – test their process in a more realistic model of the arid Martian climate. With luck, they will help to introduce a new kind of organically grown rocket fuel to the mix on Mars.
Learn More:
GT – Making Martian rocket biofuel on Mars
Kruyet et al – Designing the bioproduction of Martian rocket propellant via a biotechnology-enabled in situ resource utilization strategy
University of Cincinatti – Carbon dioxide reactor makes Martian fuel
UT – Using Bacteria to Build a Base on Mars
Lead Image:
Artist’s conception of photobioreactors required to make rocket fuel on Mars’ surface.
Credit – BOKO mobile study
[ad_2]
Original Post
I likewise conceive therefore, perfectly pent post! .
You really make it appear really easy with your presentation however I to find this topic to be really one thing which I think I’d by no means understand. It kind of feels too complex and very large for me. I’m looking forward to your subsequent put up, I¦ll attempt to get the cling of it!
you have a great blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?
I am usually to running a blog and i actually appreciate your content. The article has actually peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your web site and keep checking for brand new information.
What i do not understood is actually how you’re no longer really much more smartly-liked than you may be right now. You are so intelligent. You realize therefore considerably relating to this topic, produced me for my part consider it from a lot of various angles. Its like men and women are not involved until it’s one thing to do with Girl gaga! Your personal stuffs nice. All the time care for it up!
Keep working ,impressive job!
Very interesting details you have mentioned, appreciate it for putting up.
Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all of us you actually realize what you are speaking about! Bookmarked. Kindly additionally talk over with my web site =). We will have a hyperlink change arrangement between us!
Dead indited articles, Really enjoyed reading.
I have been checking out many of your articles and i can claim clever stuff. I will make sure to bookmark your blog.
Hello there! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using for this website? I’m getting sick and tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking at options for another platform. I would be awesome if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.
I think this website has got very excellent indited written content posts.
Thank you for sharing superb informations. Your site is so cool. I am impressed by the details that you have on this site. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for extra articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found just the information I already searched everywhere and just couldn’t come across. What an ideal website.
Good V I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs as well as related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, website theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task..
I’ve learn a few good stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how a lot effort you put to make this sort of fantastic informative site.
Hello, you used to write fantastic, but the last few posts have been kinda boringK I miss your tremendous writings. Past several posts are just a bit out of track! come on!
I’ve been browsing online more than three hours lately, but I by no means discovered any interesting article like yours. It’s lovely price enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made excellent content material as you probably did, the internet will be much more helpful than ever before.
Excellent web site. Plenty of helpful info here. I?¦m sending it to some pals ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thank you on your sweat!
With havin so much content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My site has a lot of exclusive content I’ve either written myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my agreement. Do you know any ways to help prevent content from being ripped off? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Hello there, I found your website via Google while searching for a related topic, your web site came up, it looks good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hello, Neat post. There’s a problem together with your website in web explorer, may test thisK IE nonetheless is the market leader and a good component of folks will miss your excellent writing due to this problem.
Good – I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs and related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Nice task..
This actually answered my downside, thank you!
Greetings from Idaho! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I love the information you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how quick your blog loaded on my phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, superb blog!
Hello there, simply changed into aware of your blog through Google, and located that it is truly informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate in the event you continue this in future. A lot of other people will be benefited out of your writing. Cheers!
It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I’ve read this post and if I could I want to suggest you few interesting things or advice. Maybe you could write next articles referring to this article. I wish to read more things about it!
I like this weblog very much so much good info .
Way cool, some valid points! I appreciate you making this article available, the rest of the site is also high quality. Have a fun.
At this time it appears like Drupal is the best blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader.
you’re really a good webmaster. The website loading speed is incredible. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a great job on this topic!
I like this site so much, bookmarked. “Respect for the fragility and importance of an individual life is still the mark of an educated man.” by Norman Cousins.
It¦s actually a cool and helpful piece of information. I am happy that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Perfect work you have done, this web site is really cool with superb information.