In-situ resource utilization - Revision history

RichardWSmith: /* Lithosphere (surface) */ Added Siderite & reference.

2025-07-26T16:15:34Z

Lithosphere (surface): Added Siderite & reference.

Michel Lamontagne: /* Chemical processes */

2024-11-04T19:37:41Z

Chemical processes

Michel Lamontagne: /* Gases */

2024-11-04T19:37:01Z

Gases

Michel Lamontagne: /* Gases */

2024-10-17T14:07:34Z

Gases

Michel Lamontagne: /* Gases */

2024-10-17T14:06:10Z

Gases

RichardWSmith: /* Products (Outputs) */ Added link.

2024-10-16T14:35:40Z

Products (Outputs): Added link.

RichardWSmith: /* Products (Outputs) */ Added StarCrete

2024-10-16T06:43:05Z

Products (Outputs): Added StarCrete

Michel Lamontagne at 14:58, 24 February 2022

2022-02-24T14:58:14Z

Michel Lamontagne at 00:04, 27 May 2021

2021-05-27T00:04:01Z

RichardWSmith: /* Energy */

2021-05-26T23:53:10Z

Energy

@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 *[[Alumina]] (Al2O3) is the source of aluminium.  Processing also produces CO2, oxygen or water, depending on the process used.
 *[[Car|Calcium carbonate]] (CaCO3) is used for concrete production.  Carbonates are also a potential source of carbon for carbohydrates.  [[Sodium carbonates]] are used in glass production. Carbonates are available on Mars.<ref>Wikipedia Carbonates on Mars[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonates_on_Mars]</ref>
 *[[Sulfates]]
 *[[Nitrates]] are sources of nitrogen for plants and industrial processes, ammonia and explosives.  Nitrates were discovered on Mars by the [[Curiosity]] rover in 2015.

@@ Line 94: / Line 94: @@
 *[[Sabatier/Water Electrolysis Process]]
 *[[Fischer-Tropsch reaction|Fischer-Tropsch Reaction]]
-*[[Electrolysis]]
+*Water [[Electrolysis]]
-*[[Carbon_dioxide_electrolysis]]
+*CO [[Carbon_dioxide_electrolysis]]
 =====Alcohols=====

@@ Line 95: / Line 95: @@
 *[[Fischer-Tropsch reaction|Fischer-Tropsch Reaction]]
 *[[Electrolysis]]
 =====Alcohols=====

@@ Line 195: / Line 195: @@
 ===Gases===
-A breathable atmosphere is a basic requirement for life.  It is also needed for heat transfer from people, plants and animals.  It is obtained by starting with oxygen and adding buffer gases to reach the desired proportions.  Humans can breath pure oxygen at 1/5 atmospheric pressure, but adding buffer gases such as nitrogen or argon is desirable.  It is likely that people will choose an air pressure less than one atmosphere for early settlements on Mars.  Carbon dioxide must be kept to trace amounts, as it rapidly becomes toxic at even low partial pressures.
+A breathable atmosphere is a basic requirement for life.  It is also needed for heat transfer from people, plants and animals.  It is obtained by starting with oxygen and adding buffer gases to reach the desired proportions.  Humans can breath pure oxygen at 1/5 atmospheric pressure, but adding buffer gases such as nitrogen or argon is desirable.  It is likely that people will choose an air pressure less than one atmosphere for early settlements on Mars.  Carbon dioxide is required for plants but must be kept to about 1000 ppm or less, as it rapidly becomes toxic at even low partial pressures.  Carbon monoxide is even more toxic and must be removed from the settlement atmosphere.
 *[[Oxygen]] (O<sub>2</sub>)

@@ Line 202: / Line 202: @@
 *[[Argon]] (Ar)
 *[[Carbon dioxide|Carbon dioxide]] (CO<sub>2</sub>)
-*[[Carbon monoxide|Carbon monoxide]] CO)
+*[[Carbon monoxide|Carbon monoxide]] (CO)
 *[[Hydrocarbons]]
 **[[Methane]] (CH<sub>4</sub>)

@@ Line 141: / Line 141: @@
 *[[Cement]]  is a binder used to link together elements such as blocks and bricks or gravel and sand to produce concrete.
 *[[Concrete]]
 *[[StarCrete]] is a concrete made with starch, a bit of salt, & [[Regolith]].
 *[[Compressed regolith]]

@@ Line 152: / Line 152: @@
 **[[Polyethylene]] (PE)
 **[[Polypropylene]] (PP)
-**Polyester
+**[[Polyester]] (PET)
 **[[Polyvinyl Chloride|Polyvinyl chloride]] (PVC)
 **Polyamides (Nylon)

@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 *[[Nuclear power|Nuclear energy]] is a stable energy source and could be used extensively on Mars.  The availability of nuclear fuel on Mars needs to be explored and usable ore deposits found for a self sustainable settlement.
 *[[Geothermal energy]] may be available in some martian sites.  There is evidence of Martian Vulcanism in the last 50,000 to 200,000 years, so there is almost certainly geothermal energy in some areas.
-*Wind power has been discussed in some places, however Mars' air pressure is so low, that this will provide negligible power currently.  If Mars' atmosphere were to be thickened, it may become a viable energy source, but solar power would then become weaker.  Note that wind energy fundamentally comes from the Sun, and Mars gets about half the solar energy than the Earth does.  So it is likely that wind power will be less useful on Mars, even if it is given a thicker atmosphere than currently.  Also note that the extremely small dust particles (fines), will be hard on mechanical moving parts.
+*[[Wind turbine|Wind power]] has been discussed for some applications.  However, Mars' air pressure is so low that this will provide negligible power compared to other sources.  If Mars' atmosphere were to be thickened, it might become a viable energy source as solar power might then become weaker.  Note that wind energy fundamentally comes from the Sun, and Mars gets about half the solar energy than the Earth does.  So it is likely that wind power will be less useful on Mars, even if it is given a thicker atmosphere than currently.  Also note that the extremely small dust particles (fines), will be hard on mechanical moving parts.
 ==Processes==