ROADMARS - IPFN

Mission

Project ROADMARS is an exporatory project funded by FCT and aims demonstrating the feasability and interest of using microwave plasma sources for in-situ resource utilization applications in space exploration, namely to produce oxygen, fuel and other value-added products from CO₂ decomposition under Martian conditions.

Goals

Install a new lightweight and compact microwave plasma source in the laboratory, dedicated to oxygen production under Martian conditions;
Identify the optimal conditions for a microwave plasma reactor do operate under Martian enviornment;
Create an experimental framework on which physical mechanisms of Martian plasmas can be explored via different plasma diagnostics;
Develop a modelling tool targeted at validating experimental while studying the mechanisms that are responsible for plasma-based CO₂ decomposition on Mars;
Validate plasma kinetics associated to charged and neutral species of Martian plasmas.