Resources on Mars Kevin Ann Astronomy 330

Outline Hydrogen Peroxide Structural Materials Water Food Energy Mining the Asteroid Belt Knowledge

Hydrogen Peroxide “Petroleum” of Mars Obtained from –H2 and O2 –Atmosphere and Regolith Using –Autoxidation, electrolytic reactions, electrolysis, electrical discharge, and photochemical reactions –Heat from solar reflector furnace and nuclear reactor Uses –Mono/Bi propellant for rockets, explosives for mining/construction, bleach, disinfectant, antifreeze

Hydrogen Peroxide 1 m 3 (1 metric ton ~ 2,205 lbs at 273 K) can provide –692 kg of oxygen: 917 person*days of breathing –778 kg of water: 517 person*days of drinking –1,175 kWh of energy

Structural Materials Bricks –Grind, wet, mold, dry, then bake Duricrete –12% MgSO 4, 1% NaCl, 2% Fe 2 O 3, and 85% Clay (Boyd) Tensile Strengths –Brick: 600 psi –Concrete: 800 psi –Duricrete: ~700 psi

Water Optimistic/Speculative Methods –Geothermally heated pools, liquid brines, ice deposits Viable Methods –Hydrogen Peroxide –Regolith 3% Water Bake and collect steam 1kg water needs ~3.5 kWh of energy –Atmosphere Zeolite Absorbs up to 20% of weight in water

Food Solar Energy –~40% of Earth’s CO 2 –Sufficient, can adjust pressure inside domes Soil –Mechanical support –Chemical content Atmosphere –Sufficiently dense to protect from solar radiation

Energy Solar Energy –Viable, but must be made more efficient Nuclear –Fission requires Deuterium –Deuterium is 5 times more common on Mars –Deuterium obtained through electrolysis in the production of Hydrogen Peroxide –Must ship first reactors from Earth

Metals Steel –Iron obtained from Hematite –Alloyed with carbon, manganese, phosphorus, and silicon –Uses: with duricrete for structures, sheet metal, and variety of manufactured products Aluminum –4% of Martian Crust in form of oxide ore alumina –Highly endothermic reaction needed –Uses: electrical wiring and construction of spacecraft

Metals Silicon –Silicon Dioxide comprises 45% of Mars’ crust –Uses: semiconductors for compute r s and with CO 2 for rocket fuel Copper –Obtained from copper ore deposits at base of lava flows –Uses: electrical wiring –Copper ore indicative of other types of elemental ores needed by a technological civilization

Mining the Asteroid Belt Combined mass = 2.5% of Earth’s moon Using Mars as a base of operations Estimated Worth Per Person on Earth –Cobalt: $26 billion –Iron: $7 billion –Silicon: $6 billion –Nickel: $6 billion –Platinum Related Metals: $32 billion –Silver, Copper, Manganese, Titanium, Gold, and Uranium, The Rare Earth Metals $28 billion –Total: >$100 billion Nuclear material: Energy needs for people using 1 kW each for 200 days. Will allow for Mars to be a viable and thriving economy

Knowledge Advances in: –Energy production –Manufacturing –Robotics –Biotechnology –Nanotechnology –Rocket Propulsion –Basic Science

Conclusion Sufficient resources to sustain life Sufficient resources for interplanetary commerce Invaluable knowledge-based resources for export back to Earth