Viking Lander design. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
” The leading interpretation today is that the outcomes was because of an abiotic chemical reaction,” keeps in mind Prof. Elias Chatzitheodoridis of the Geological Sciences Department of the National Technical University of Athens.
” The oxygen production was triggered by a reactive oxygen types reacting with water in the nutrient liquid,” notes Prof. Christos Georgiou of the Biology Department at the University of Patras. “Such reactive species might stem from metal salts of superoxides, perchlorates, or peroxides– the latter of which was undoubtedly discovered by NASAs Mars Phoenix lander in the Martian Arctic in 2008.
NASAs Mars Phoenix lander spotted perchlorate salts in the Martian Arctic in 2008. Credit: NASA
” Charting such extremely reactive species will be very important for Martian and lunar settlers, not just since their presence will be hostile to human settlement and crop growth but likewise since they will erase any trace of possible Martian bio-fossils, so these locations can be ruled out of the look for life on Mars.”
The Biology Department of the University of Patras has actually currently performed soil experiments on the generation of reactive oxygen species in soil samples from the dry, Mars-like Mojave and Atacama Deserts, as well as from perchlorate salts exposed to radiation.
” These reactive oxygen types are developed by extreme ultraviolet irradiation of the surface, especially of fractured minerals separated by temperature level extremes and micrometeorites, resulting in a surface area with a lot of complimentary chemical bonds, discusses Prof. Georgiou.
Phoenix found perchlorate salts on Mars. Credit: ESA
The combined university teams recognized that the Viking liquid micro-nutrient experiment would be a workable model for a detector of these reactive oxgen species. Soil samples would be placed in a microfluidic device, producing detectable oxygen through wetting with water plus the action of drivers. They proposed the concept to ESA through the Open Space Innovation Platform, seeking out appealing ideas for research and development.
Reactive oxygen species are likewise discovered on the Moon. Credit: JAXA/NHK
” The interesting aspect is that this method can be used for more than just superoxide detection,” explains ESA procedures and products engineer Malgorzata Holynska.
” The project, supported through ESAs Technology Development Element, will consist of the initial design of a big scale reactor device to occasionally extract oxygen from soil, what we call oxygen farming. Solar UV irradiation will then renew their oxygen supply within a matter of hours. The price quote is that a 1.2 hectare (3 acre) location would yield enough oxygen to keep a single astronaut alive.”
Oxygen farming: ESAs reactive oxygen species detection job, supported through ESAs Technology Development Element, will include the initial style of a big scale reactor gadget to regularly draw out oxygen from soil, termed oxygen farming. The quote is that a 1.2 hectare (3 acre) location would yield enough oxygen to keep a single astronaut alive.
” Commercially offered Moon and Mars regolith, chemically modified by contact with Earths oxygen-rich environment, is not suitable for screening, says Prof. Chatzitheodoridis. “Accordingly the project group is checking out producing their own simulants in regulated environments. We will furthermore utilize lunar and Martian meteorites to test the instrument, but likewise prepare to use to NASA for real lunar samples for screening.”
” The goal is that the prospecting detector ought to be smaller than a paperback book”, says Dr. Ioannis Markopoulos, heading the 01 Mechatronics company, preparing to produce a model detector. “It is likely that astronauts would find it helpful throughout the entire span of any mission to the Moon and Mars.”
H2O-wetting of soil samples by the detector, causes dissolution of metal superoxides (O2 –) and peroxides (O22-, transformed toH2O2 after hydrolysis) and release of O2 in consecutive actions 1 and 2 (” oxygen farming” concept). OxR detectors O2-electrode records the respective plateau reaching released O2 values A and B (representing the launched O2 moles, displayed in blue and red bold italics to designate their origin from respective responses 1 and 3). Values A and B are transformed to yH2O2 and xO2 — moles by insertion to math formulas stemmed from the stoichiometries of responses 1 and 3. Hydroxyl radicals (- OH), which are generated upon soil H2O-wetting, are measured by the fluorescence of 2-OH-TPA (at ex/em 310/420 nm), the product of – OH specific response with its non-fluorescent trap terephthalate (TPA). Credit: National Technical University of Athens/ University of Patras
” Reactive oxygen types are produced in our own bodies, for this reason our bodies produce antioxidants in reaction,” adds Prof. Georgiou. “They can likewise be produced through radiation-exposed dry terrestrial soils and during mining activities. In area they will be produced by cosmic radiation interacting with metal surfaces, such as on water and food tanks, and the cabin oxygen, so such a detector will certainly be helpful to monitor the spacecraft environment.”
Dr. Markopoulos includes: “We certainly see the capacity for a terrestrial spin-off as well; with these hazardous reactive oxygen types prevalent on Earth, the potential is there for an extremely great tool for commercialization.”
Taking motivation from a pioneering search for Martian life, a Greek group is developing a gadget to spot these reactive oxygen species– as well as harvest enough oxygen from them to keep astronauts breathing forever.
Vikings Labeled Release experiment used micro-nutrient liquid to a Martian soil sample, which released copious quantities of oxygen in action.” The job, supported through ESAs Technology Development Element, will consist of the preliminary design of a big scale reactor device to regularly draw out oxygen from soil, what we describe oxygen farming. Oxygen farming: ESAs reactive oxygen species detection task, supported through ESAs Technology Development Element, will consist of the initial design of a large scale reactor device to periodically draw out oxygen from soil, described oxygen farming.” Reactive oxygen species are produced in our own bodies, thus our bodies produce anti-oxidants in reaction,” includes Prof. Georgiou.
A view from the “Kimberley” development on Mars taken by NASAs Curiosity rover. The strata in the foreground dip towards the base of Mount Sharp, suggesting flow of water towards a basin that existed prior to the bigger bulk of the mountain formed. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The dusty faces of the Moon and Mars hide unseen threats for future explorers. Locations of extremely oxidizing product might be sufficiently reactive that they would produce chemical burns on astronauts unguarded skin or lungs. Taking inspiration from a pioneering search for Martian life, a Greek team is establishing a device to find these reactive oxygen types– as well as harvest sufficient oxygen from them to keep astronauts breathing forever.
The US Viking landers that touched down on Mars in 1976 carried experiments searching for Martian life whose results are still debated more than four decades later.
Vikings Labeled Release experiment applied micro-nutrient liquid to a Martian soil sample, which released generous amounts of oxygen in response. Some authorities translated this result as proof of microbial life on Mars– other than that even after the sample was sterilized with 160 ° C heat this oxygen production continued. On the other hand other Viking experiments discovered no traces of natural chemicals.